SKYWARN™
SKYWARN™ is a national effort to save lives during severe weather emergencies with an expanding network of trained weather spotters. The services performed by SKYWARN™ spotters have saved many lives.
The National Weather Service has a number of devices for detecting severe thunderstorms. Included in these are Doppler radar, satellite, and lightning detection networks. However, the most important tool for observing thunderstorms is the trained eye of the storm spotter.
By providing observations, SKYWARN™ spotters assist National Weather Service members in their warning decisions and enable the National Weather Service to fulfill its mission of protecting life and property.
Storm spotters are, and always will be, an indispensable part of the severe local warning program.
The National Weather Service office in Buffalo participates in the annual ARRL - SKYWARN™ special event. For details on the national event, QSL instructions and the rest of the statistics, check out the Special event homepage.
SKYWARN™ is a nationwide program of spotters that report severe weather to the National Weather Service. Anyone can become a SKYWARN™ spotter for the National Weather Service, all you have to do is attend one of our Spotter Training Sessions. There is no charge for the training.
SKYWARN™ training sessions are held throughout our area of responsibility based on demand. SKYWARN training sessions for Severe Convective Weather (Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Flash Floods, etc.) are conducted from March through May. SKYWARN training sessions for Winter Weather are conducted from September through November. The basic training session provides a brief overview to the National Weather Service (the organization and our responsibilities), the equipment we use (including capabilities and limitations), and basic severe weather meteorology (including how thunderstorms, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form). Training sessions last about two hours.
SKYWARN training sessions for Winter Weather are conducted from September through November.
Attendees are instructed what types of severe weather the National Weather Service is interested in hearing about and are given an 800 telephone number for 24 hour access make reports directly to the NWS forecasters.
For more information, please contact:
Mike Fries -- michael.j.fries@noaa.gov -- WFO Buffalo, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Jon Hitchcock -- jon.hitchcock@noaa.gov -- WFO Buffalo, SKYWARN Program Coordinator
DATE | TIME | COUNTY | LOCATION | ORGANIZATION |
Thursday 10/27/22 |
7 PM | Online |
Online Registration Required! |
Lewis County Office of Emergency Management Click Here for Registration |
Wednesday 11/2/22 |
7 PM | Online |
Online Registration Required! |
NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration |
Friday 11/4/22 |
7 PM | Erie |
Buffalo State College Bulger Communications Center Lecture Room 217 Important - Park in lot I-37 Link to Parking Map |
WNY American Meteorological Society Chapter Erie County Emergency Services Click Here for Registration |
Wednesday 11/9/22 |
7 PM | Monroe |
Monroe County Emergency Operations Center 1190 Scottsville Rd., Suite 200 |
Monroe County Emergency Management Click Here for Registration |
Tuesday 11/15/22 |
7 PM | Chautauqua |
Chautauqua County Municipal Building 2 Academy St, Mayville, NY 14757 |
Chautauqua County Emergency Services Click Here for Registration |
Thursday 11/17/22 |
11 AM | Online |
Online Registration Required! |
NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration |
Tuesday 11/29/22 |
7 PM | Online |
Online Registration Required! |
NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration |
***NEW! River Ice Spotter Training NEW!***
DATE | TIME | COUNTY | LOCATION | ORGANIZATION |
Wednesday 11/30/22 |
7 PM |
Online |
Online Registration Required! |
NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration |
Wednesday 12/14/22 |
10 AM | Online |
Online Registration Required! |
NWS Buffalo |
Other links Other SKYWARN™ Sites: NWS Binghamton SKYWARN™ Homepage |