The National Weather Service is holding its winter SKYWARN course on November 28

November 9, 2023

The National Weather Service Buffalo office is offering a free winter SKYWARN observing training seminar on Tuesday, November 28. The 90-minute session begins at 7 p.m. at the Oswego County Office of Emergency Management, 200 N. Second St., Fulton.

SKYWARN is a national effort to save lives during severe weather and winter weather emergencies through a network of trained volunteer weather spotters. SKYWARN observers support their local community and government by submitting severe weather reports directly to the National Weather Service Buffalo office by phone through the observer hotline or via other online reporting methods. The services provided by SKYWARN observers have saved many lives.

“This is an ideal opportunity for Oswego County residents to learn about the specific winter storm risks we face, and to help the National Weather Service by providing real-time observations during storms,” said Kathleen Palmitiso, director of the Oswego County Office of Emergency Management. . “We are pleased to host this training course for observers.”

The National Weather Service has a number of instruments to detect severe winter storms, including Doppler radar and satellite images. However, one of the most important winter weather monitoring tools is the trained eye of a storm spotter. By providing observations of snow and ice, SKYWARN observers assist National Weather Service personnel in their warning decisions and help the federal agency accomplish its mission of protecting life and property. Storm spotters are, and always will be, an indispensable part of the winter warning program.

The basic training session provides a brief overview of the National Weather Service organization and responsibilities, winter weather safety and winter weather meteorology, including how lake-effect snowstorms and widespread snowstorms develop. Anyone can become a severe weather observer with the National Weather Service.

SKYWARN training is free and open to the public, registration is required. Interested individuals can contact the Office of Emergency Management at 315-591-9150 or register online with the National Weather Service Buffalo office at https://www.weather.gov/buf/Skywarn.

For more information, contact the Oswego County Office of Emergency Management at 315-591-9150 or the National Weather Service at 716-565-0204 ext. 223.