SKYWARN Program

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 2005.

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:

1. Pass the latest weather information – including radar data, warnings and statements - to spotter groups; and
2. 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.

Spotting information links:

• New spotter guide
• Glossary of weather terms for spotters
• Getting started in spotting

Other links:

• National SKYWARN page
• Texas SKYWARN page
• Cleveland County, OK SKYWARN
• Tri-State Amateur Radio Group
• Tulsa Repeater Organization
• List of some national spotter frequencies