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Training offered on severe weather observations

Paul Marusich
Ada City-County Emergency Management
A Severe Weather Spotter Training Workshop, co-sponsored by Ada City-County Emergency Management and the National Weather Service (NWS), will give the public an opportunity to learn about storm observer and forecasting. The training is slated for Thursday (May 12) in the Vernon Bisterfeldt Public Safety Building, 7200 Barrister Drive, Boise (near the Boise Towncenter Mall). The class will be held in the basement with entry through the main front doors. Anyone wanting to participate should meet in the building lobby no later than 6:55 p.m.

The session will last 1 ½ to 2 hours, beginning at 7 p.m.

The training is for current weather spotters, firefighters, law enforcement specialists, land management employees, emergency services technicians, transportation operators, outdoor recreationalists, or anyone else interested in weather. Training will include definitions and climatology of severe weather, training on cloud and storm recognition, storm hazards and safety tips and weather reporting procedures.

Across Ada County, more than 100 volunteer weather spotters and cooperative observers provide valuable weather information that is fundamental in helping the NWS protect lives and property. However, 100 is not enough. Forecasts are often based on observer data, and even warnings for severe weather have been issued based on information received from trained volunteer spotters, cooperative observers and/or relayed by a HAM radio operator.

For more information about the NWS spotter program, please visit the website at http://www.weather.gov/boise/ or the national severe weather awareness web page at http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/severeweather/index.shtm

Questions can be directed to Paul “Crash” Marusich (ACCEM) at 208-577-4750, or Bob Diaz (NWS WCM) 208-334-9861.