The Berrien County Office of Emergency Management is pleased to announce Skywarn® Storm Spotter Training, delivered in partnership with the National Weather Service, Northern Indiana Office.
Date: Wednesday, March 14, 2018
Time: 5:30pm – 7:30 pm (Check in and doors open at 5:15pm)
Cost: Free – Open to entire public
Location: Berrien RESA; 711 St. Joseph Ave., Berrien Springs, MI 49103
Registration link: http://berrienmispotter.eventzilla.net
Pre-Register Required. If assistance is needed, please call Mrs. Gayle Bassett 269.983.7111 x4915 or email [email protected]
"This free training opportunity is an excellent way for citizens to learn about severe weather threats and help prepare them to react to severe weather.” said Capt. Rockey Adams of the Berrien County Emergency Management Office. "Spotters will also learn how to contact the NWS Northern Indiana Office, to give specific information about storm conditions. This information is used to warn others in the community of these threats. Your storm reports can save lives.” Capt. Adams added.
The effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans. To obtain critical weather information, NOAA’s National Weather Service (NWS), established SKYWARN® with partner organizations. SKYWARN® is a volunteer program with nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the NWS. There are currently over 330 active spotters registered in Berrien County. Each year an average of 95 spotters register for our classes.
Although SKYWARN® spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the main responsibility of a SKYWARN® spotter is to safely identify and describe severe local storms. Since the program started in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters, coupled with Doppler radar technology, improved satellite and other data, has enabled NWS to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash floods.
For more information on the National Skywarn® program, visit: http://skywarn.org/ also, visit www.bcsheriff.org