NWS to offer free storm spotter training

The National Weather Service will soon begin offering its annual storm spotter training to anyone interested in learning more about severe weather.

The classes will be offered in roughly 40 locations in northeastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas over the next three months.

Ed Calianese is Warning Coordination Meteorologist with NWS.

He told KRMG during an interview at the NWS offices in Tulsa that the agency relies heavily on spotters for good information during a storm.

"Weather radar is very, very good, but it's not perfect. It's not showing us what the cloud looks like, it's not telling us that there's a tornado on the ground. It's not telling us that there's baseball-sized hail hitting the ground."

NWS will train hundreds of spotters this spring during sessions that last a little over two hours, including a break.

The agency also offers online and printed materials in support of the training.

Most of the people attending the classes will have taken the training previously, he said.

"Some of it's pretty in-depth, it's difficult to pick it all up in one single session. Even though somebody's gone last year, doesn't mean they shouldn't come this year."

He said spotters can volunteer in any number of ways once trained, "relaying your observation as a storm spotter to not only the Weather Service, but also to community officials, Emergency Management for instance and also the news media."

Anyone interested, whether they have previous training or not, is urged to take the training.

CLICK HERE for a schedule of NWS storm spotter training classes in the area.