Storm spotters keep
Alabamians safe during
severe weather By Aaron Tanner
A
labama experiences all modes of severe weather every year. Despite advances in Doppler radar technology that allows more extended warning lead times, radar usually cannot see what is happening on the ground. That’s where the SKYWARN Storm Spotter program comes in. Volunteers of various backgrounds, including first responders, law enforcement and business owners, help the National Weather Service verify real-time conditions when deciding to issue or continue a warning. “Our SKYWARN spotters are like our eyes in the field,” says Todd Barron, Warn-
16 MARCH 2017
ing Coordinator Meteorologist at the National Weather Service office in Huntsville. Storm spotters are different from storm chasers in that a spotter stays in one location, while a chaser travels to a storm. Barron says that storm spotters are preferred over storm chasers in Alabama due to various issues, including the hills and trees limiting views, heavy rain that often obscures tornadoes and the fast motion of storms. “It is dangerous to storm chase, especially if you are not a well trained professional.” Those interested in becoming a storm
spotter receive training from a meteorologist from the National Weather Service, either in person or online. Volunteers learn to appropriately identify and report severe weather, such as finding rotation in a wall cloud or adequately measuring the size of hail, along with safety tips while in the field. “We want the spotters to know what they are looking at when watching for severe weather,” Barron says. After completing the class, graduates receive a certificate certifying them as spotters, and their name is put into a database if they choose to do so. A report from a trained spotter is taken www.alabamaliving.coop