Since SKYWARN began in the 1970s, thousands of volunteers have helped the NWS issue more accurate and timely severe weather warnings by acting as spotters. The role of the spotter is to serve as the eyes and ears of the NWS during severe weather situations. To learn what types of weather the NWS wants to have reported by spotters, and to learn what the County Warning & Forecast Area (CWFA) of the Tallahassee office encompasses, click here.

Most SKYWARN volunteers are involved with amateur (HAM) radio, because HAM radio operators are well-equipped to relay their reports of severe weather. However, the SKYWARN program also includes law enforcement agencies, emergency management personnel, public utilities workers, and even people who are simply interested in the weather.

Although the NWS office at Tallahassee has obtained modernized equipment such as the WSR-88D Doppler radar to better detect severe weather, SKYWARN spotters continue to be essential to our warning process.  Even with all the new technology, an accurate report from a SKYWARN spotter often provides the critical piece of information needed by the forecaster to issue a timely warning, which can save lives.

Area HAMs recently set up an Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS) at the NWS Tallahassee office. APRS uses packet radio to relay data that can be displayed on a computer.

If you want to learn more about Amateur Radio, a good place to start is the Amateur Radio Relay League. Excellent resources for getting started in HAM radio can be found at local HAM Radio clubs.

Any amateur radio or county government organization that would like to receive SKYWARN training should contact Bob Goree, NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist in Tallahassee.