The calendar may still say January, but we are beginning our preparation for the upcoming severe weather season.
The National Weather Service in cooperation with The Marshall County Emergency Management Agency and The Marshall County SKYWARN group will be hosting the annual Weather Observer and Outreach Talk (Storm Spotter Training). Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in North Webster will be providing the spotter training, which will include valuable information on: basics of thunderstorm development, fundamentals of storm structure, identifying potential severe weather features, information to report, how to report information and basic severe weather safety.
The training will be conducted on Thursday, February 25, at 6:30 pm in room 203 of the Marshall County Building located at 112 W. Jefferson Street in Plymouth.
SKYWARN is a concept developed in the early 1970’s that was intended to promote a cooperative effort between the National Weather Service and local communities. The emphasis of the effort is often focused on the storm spotter, an individual who takes a position near their community and reports wind gusts, hail size, rainfall, and cloud formations that could signal a developing tornado.
Storm spotter training should not be confused with storm chasing. While reports are helpful, we do not encourage people to put themselves in harm’s way to make a report. Safety is our primary concern and we encourage everyone to seek shelter immediately during severe weather.
If you are interested in attending you can register online at: http://marshallinspotter2016.eventzilla.net
There is no charge for the training and it is open to the community. If you would like additional information regarding severe weather and disaster preparedness, please contact Clyde Avery, Director of the Marshall County Emergency Management Agency, at 936-3740.
Additional SKYWARN Spotter Training can be found online at: www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23
Remember: Emergency Preparedness Is Everyone’s Responsibility
