Reporting severe weather

[Chris Wilburn]

Hey Everybody.....quick question here........How do you go about calling in reports to the National Weather Service? I plan on getting my ham licence soon and also attending a couple Skywarn storm spotting talks this Spring. Any information would be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance!

Chris Wilburn

 

[rdale]

If you have a ham radio and are Skywarn trained, you report to your local Skywarn net. If you don't have a radio, you dial the NWS phone number.

 

[nickgrillo]

...Or you can report via 9-1-1 if you don't have the local NWS WFO's number on hand

 

[Mike Gauldin]

If your chasing in Oklahoma, there's two main amateur radio networks that cover just about the entire state and are linked directly to the NWS in Norman (WX5OUN) and Tulsa (WX5TUL).

Norman Skywarn Liaison Net
Tulsa Skywarn Liaison Net

 

[rdale]

"Or you can report via 9-1-1 if you don't have the local NWS WFO's number on hand"

Unless you have confidence in that area's 911 operations - I would say it's better to call your home NWS office and ask them to relay. That's been my procedure and it's guaranteed to be faster (and to get through!)

 

[John Wetter]

I wouldn't call severe weather into 911... If there is damage/injuries, then of course 911 is best, but for severe weather reports, a call to the NWS 800 number for the area is the way to go.

-John

 

[Bill Hamilton]

Here is a link to a .pdf file that has every state listed with numbers to local NSWFO. It is for Emergeny Managers and I am not sure how accurate the numbers are but it is put out by the NWS/NOAA.
The numbers are about 1/4 down the file.

http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/resources/toolkit.pdf

 

[Justin Teague]

For WX5TUL, you need to be on either 146.880 or 146.940. For more info, make sure to attend the Tulsa spotter training on Feb. 11th. It will be at the TTC Riverside Campus (Jones Airport) and the time is to still to be determined. The wx service also has a phone # for reports, but it isn't the best method for reporting, unless they know who you are and find you to be a credible source.

 

[rdale]

That phone number list is the direct line to the WCM's desk, I don't know how useful those would be in a sevwx event.

 

[John Wetter]

http://www.stormready.noaa.gov/resources/toolkit.pdf

The numbers on there that I recognize are just the front desk of the offices. Probably not that great for reporting. For amateur radio, the best resource for how to report is here:
http://www.caps.ou.edu/~kbrews/spotfreq/


-John

 

[Bill Hamilton]

I wasn't sure if they would help or not.
It would be nice to have a "master list" like that for ACTUAL contact numbers for non-HAM's to use.
Thanks for clearing it up.

 

[Mike Gauldin]

For WX5TUL, you need to be on either 146.880 or 146.940.

the .94 is also Tulsa EOC. You can also reach WX5TUL around the Tulsa area on 443.850 (this is the freq they are mainly on, but they monitor and talk on .94 as well).

 

[Sheila_Ward]

When you attend a Skywarn meeting, they will give you the number for your area. They try to keep these numbers under wraps so people don't use them for general weather information.

 

[Shane Adams]

I don't use a cell phone and don't have a HAM license so I don't report anymore. When I did, I was met with skepticism far more often than a receptive voice on the other end. There's a ton of people out there now, I seriously doubt I'm ever the one person who'll make the difference.

Back in the day I reported everything, and my partner and I were directly responsible for saving two lives west of Stillwater, OK on October 4, 1998. But back then there weren't 20,000 chasers out there. I have reported as recent as 2004, when the people I was with had a cell phone, but I don't lose sleep over it anymore. I used to, but that was before the attitudes and the ignoring of my reports.

There's a tornado from 2001 I documented, the video of which was seen by OUN mets but it's never been logged. That just pisses me off.

 

[Chris Wilburn]

Thanks to everybody for all of the responses.

Justin...........thanks for the date of the spotter training.......is this Skywarn spotter training or different?

Shane.......I know what you mean about so many people out there now that you may not make a difference.........but since I am out chasing anyway I might as well call in reports.......esp. tornados or tornadic supercells