Skywarn Class Off Limit to Public

[Tony Lyza]

You would think that a county that just had an extremely powerful F4 plow through two years ago would want as many trained spotters as possible. That isn't right.

Then again, though we have public training in our county, our county (~480,000 people) only has one class on 4/19, and at first release, we didn't even have a class on our schedule.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Like I said though, Dan, it's not that I'm going to learn anything new. You're right, I already know what they teach but I mainly went because I felt it was a good time to network with other storm spotters as well as NWS staff. The same question could be asked to people who attends the Chaser Convention. I don't feel a need to go, but people do so they can network with other chasers, swap stories and mingle.

 

[Bobby Eddins]

Personally this was the first year since I was very young that I havn't attended a Skywarn School due to my work schedule. Though I could probably teach much of the course I always like to see how the presentation has evolved and often learn just a bit more, especially in the advanced course.

Of course the DFW Skywarn Classes are always put on by Gary Woodall (Basic) and Al Moller (Advanced) so I'd put them up against any done nation-wide. Of course the public is welcome as well as EMS, PD, FD, etc.

It's all about having educated eye's giving accurate reports. We've got a long way to go before that's achieved.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

The meteorologist in charge replied back to me, he's gonna get with the WCM and find out why they're closing this off to the public and that either him or the WCM will get back in touch with me to let me know.

 

[Shane Adams]

It's probably to keep chasers out so they can't defend themselves when the NWS rips them in front of all those spotters. I think it's wonderful how the NWS always asks for our reports then runs us down at SKYWARN meetings.

 

[Bobby Eddins]

It's probably to keep chasers out so they can't defend themselves when the NWS rips them in front of all those spotters. I think it's wonderful how the NWS always asks for our reports then runs us down at SKYWARN meetings.
[/b]

Down here we always get credit, usually both when the video is showing and at the end. Of course both Gary and Al are chasers. They often ask our opinion on a storm if we were on it.

 

[Jason Boggs]

Here is the spotter training schedule from the Amarillo NWS. Some of the meeting are private and some are public.

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ama/spotter_traini...hed/sptrain.htm

 

[Paul Austin]

but I guess I'm wondering if it is really necessary for a chaser with any competent practical experience to get Skywarn training. Or if Skywarn training is the only 'legit' way to learn about supercells/weather hazards and be competent in the field.[/b]

You are probably right about the training, but when attending, you have the opportunity to network with other spotters, EMS, NWS staff, other chasers, civil authorities, etc. It also gives you an opportunity to participate in the training, offering your own expertise and experiences from the field in open discussion. Sometimes you can actually help answer a trainee's questions. It's just another way to contribute to the wx community.

Hopefully this is an isolated case.

 

[rdale]

It's probably to keep chasers out so they can't defend themselves when the NWS rips them in front of all those spotters.[/b]

I think any chasers that put themselves and others in danger by standing in roadways / excessive speeding / etc. NEED to be ripped by the NWS at spotter meetings.

But to say that's why they closed this training session is downright stupid. That would not be anywhere near the reason.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

And plus there are spotters that always needs that training that will now not recieve that training and perhaps lead to mishaps in the field this year; such as inaccurate report, calling a feature by the wrong name.

 

[Jay McCoy]

Maybe they just didnt want the spotters to feel less knowledgable than the chasers that would attend.

I have been chasing for a very long time and am a certified spotter. With my AES role I am required to take spotter training every year and I can tell you in the majority of cases a chaser will know more about a storm, its structure, and what he is seeing than a spotter and will be more apt to report correctly what is happening. I have seen spotters at these classes that couldnt tell a shelf cloud from a wall cloud even after the session. 2 hrs is not enough for somebody to be proficient enough to be that reliable. That takes field experience.

Now before a flame war starts I will explain. Most spotters only go out a few times a year and actually see a severe storm let alone a tornadic one after a 2 hr training class. A chaser on the other hand knows the atmospheric conditions. he has made his own forecast. he knows what can be expected that day and spends days chasing and spotting dozens of storms. Since he sees more storms and understands the dynamics involved he naturally will know more and be more accurate in his reports than a spotter who has seen maybe 2 or 3 severe storms all year.

At my class the WCM that gives it knows me well so he doesnt even let me answer anything so others have to.

 

[rdale]

Has the NWS actually confirmed anything yet? I've yet to see a response of any kind from them...

 

[Joey Ketcham]

They have not confirmed anything as of yet. The meteorologist in charge said he would get with the WCM to find out about this and would get back to me, so I'll probably know something pretty quick.

 

[Joey Ketcham]

Finally got things cleared up. I knew that didn't sound right.

The WCM got back with me.... the local newspaper stated in their article that the NWS in SGF was the one who decided to not make this a public class this year. That's not the case. The MIC or WCM knew nothing of this so obviously they did not decide anything of this nature. Not sure who the local paper was quoting on that.

So I contacted the EM and was advised that spotters can attend who are not associated with fire, police, or ems. So who knows where this came from.

 

[J Holder]

2 words: Damage Control!

Up here in NWS TOP territory they've never closed classes to the public, although they do have advanced spotter classes for ARES, Entire PD and/or Fire depts. etc.

We do have a new Warning Coordinator: Jennifer Starks from the Cheyenne, Wy office took over Mike Akulow's job after he retired in October 05. We've already shown her tornado out breaks on Thanksgiving Day weekend so we're trying to break her in


Jon Holder