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NOTE: Meteorologists
from the National Weather Service office in Norman will be conducting spotter training sessions across
Oklahoma and western north Texas from January through March 2011.
Storm spotters play a critical role in National Weather Service severe weather
operations. In addition to serving as a community’s first line of defense against dangerous
storms, spotters provide important information to warning forecasters who must make critical
warning decisions.
The National Weather Service Forecast Office in Norman uses amateur radio as one
method of communicating with spotter groups and emergency management organizations.
The National Weather Service, in cooperation with local emergency management and
amateur radio groups, has developed a network of frequencies to assist in the dissemination and
collection of severe weather information. The purpose of the network is to:
- Pass the latest weather information – including radar data, warnings and statements -
to spotter groups; and
- Collect real-time reports of severe weather from spotter groups and emergency
management agencies across the area.
The NWS Norman SKYWARN Radio Network should be thought of as a "liaison net" during
severe weather. It is not intended to collect individual spotter reports, but rather to serve as
a collection point where local spotter networks can relay information to the NWS. In other
words, the individual storm spotter should use their local frequencies and procedures to report
severe weather to their local organization. When the local spotter net receives a report of
severe weather, a liaison from that group relays the report to the National Weather Service via
the liaison net. Amateur radio operators at the NWS Office will also provide radar information
and the latest warnings and statements to the liaisons, who in turn pass the information on to
their local spotter network.
Spotters and anyone else interested in keeping track of severe storms are
encouraged to monitor these frequencies, but traffic should be limited on the liaison net. You
should attempt to report severe weather to your local spotter groups instead of on these
frequencies.
Are you interested in becoming a weather spotter? Here is some information about
how to get started in tornado and thunderstorm spotting.
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Spotting information links:
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Other links:
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