Weather spotter training open to all

Volunteers focus on severe local thunderstorms.

Allegan County Emergency Management is partnering with the Gun Lake Tribe and Barry County Emergency Management to host Skywarn weather spotter training on March 8.

The training is open to anyone interested.

The training is 10 a.m. to noon at Camp Jijak, 2558 20th St., Hopkins.

To register or for more information, visit 2025 NWS SKYWARN Spotter Training

In most years, thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning cause hundreds of injuries and deaths and billions in property and crop damage. To obtain critical weather information, the National Weather Service established Skywarn with partner organizations. Skywarn is a volunteer program with between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters. These volunteers help keep local communities safe by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather to the National Weather Service.

Although Skywarn spotters provide essential information for all types of weather hazards, the focus is reporting on severe local thunderstorms.

The weather service encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join the Skywarn program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are encouraged to become a spotter.

Participants learn the 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.          

A free online spotter program is also available. Some offices also ask that you take a local class to learn about weather unique to your area.