Skywarn

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.

NWS Buffalo SKYWARN^™Training Sessions

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

Fall 2024 Training Schedule

Note: Fall training courses focus on winter weather, snowfall and ice measuring, and reporting to the NWS.

Note: Additional classes are in the process of being scheduled, check back later for more locations and times!

All of the scheduled training sessions will cover the same material

DATE	TIME	COUNTY	LOCATION	ORGANIZATION
9/23/2024	5 PM	Jefferson	Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library 229 Washington St Watertown, NY 13601	Roswell P. Flower Memorial Library REGISTER HERE
11/6/2024	6 PM	Monroe	SUNY Brockport 350 New Campus Drive Brockport, NY 14420 Lennon Hall - Room 140	SUNY Brockport Meteorology Department REGISTER HERE
11/12/2024	6 PM	Erie	Lackawanna Public Library 560 Ridge Rd Lackawanna, NY 14218	Lackawanna Public Library REGISTER HERE
11/13/2024	6 PM	Oswego	SUNY Oswego Shineman Hall Room TBA	SUNY Oswego Meteorology Club REGISTER HERE
11/14/2024	7 PM	Online	Online Virtual	National Weather Service Buffalo REGISTER HERE
11/19/2024	10 AM	Online	Online Virtual	National Weather Service Buffalo REGISTER HERE