SKYWARN®
NWS Trained Weather Spotter Program
SKYWARN® is a National Weather Service (NWS) program developed in the 1960s that consists of trained weather spotters who provide reports of severe and hazardous weather to help meteorologists make life-saving warning decisions.
Spotters are concerned citizens, amateur radio operators, truck drivers, mariners, airplane pilots, emergency management personnel, and public safety officials who volunteer their time and energy to report on hazardous weather impacting their community.
NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service and access to communication, such as ham radio, to join the SKYWARN® program.
Volunteers include:
- Police and fire personnel
- Dispatchers and EMS workers
- Public utility workers
- Concerned private citizens
- Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches, nursing homes
For more information: weather.gov/buf/Skywarn
SKYWARN® and the SKYWARN® logo are registered trademarks of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), used with permission.
NOAA Weather-Ready Nation
NOAA’s Weather-Ready Nation is about readying your community for extreme weather, water, and climate events.
The devastating impacts of extreme events — record-breaking snowfall, violent tornadoes, destructive hurricanes, widespread flooding, and devastating drought — can be reduced by taking advanced action.
NOAA’s National Weather Service is transforming its operations to help America respond. Offices now provide forecast information in a way that better supports emergency managers, first responders, government officials, businesses, and the public.
Weather-Ready Nation can help start a dialog within local communities to reduce risk and increase resilience for future extreme events.