Spotter Training Information

Upcoming Spotter Training Sessions Info:

What makes a thunderstorm Severe?
- Hail 1" or larger, and/or Wind gusts 58 mph or greater, and/or a Tornado
- Hail Size Chart & Wind Speed Estimate
Training:
- Upcoming Spotter Training Sessions
- Online Spotter Training (from COMET)
- Indianapolis Spotter Brochure (PDF)
- Advanced Storm Spotting Guide (PDF)
- Cloud Chart
Additional Programs that Assist Warning Decisions, Forecasting, and Research:
- CoCoRaHS - A network of volunteers measuring precipitation data
- mPING - Precipitation type reports

Hail Size Chart: (diameter in inches)

Wind Speed Estimate:

25-31 mph: Large branches in motion; whistling heard in telephone wires.
32-38 mph: Whole trees in motion; inconvenience felt walking against the wind.
39-54 mph: Twigs break off trees; wind generally impedes progress.
55-72 mph: Damage to chimneys and TV antennas; pushes over shallow rooted trees.
73-112 mph: Peels surfaces off roofs; windows broken; light mobile homes pushed or overturned; moving cars pushed off road.
113-157 mph: Roofs torn off houses; cars lifted off ground.

Frequently Asked Questions about Spotter Training Sessions

Do I need to preregister for these sessions? Most of the time, no. All you need to do is arrive at the proper time and location. However, in rare instances, a county might request registration with their officials. Check the details of the session to see if preregistration is required.
About how long do the sessions last? Approximately 2 hours.
Do I have to live / be a spotter in the county that I take the training session? No. The training sessions are identical.
Is there a fee to attend? There is no fee to attend.

Click on any talk below for additional information. Not all sessions may appear in the list. Try clicking on the "Look for More" link to see if more are scheduled.

Below is a listing of upcoming severe weather spotter training sessions.

Please visit this news story that lists the upcoming sessions.