The free Weather Spotter’s Training event will arrive this evening at the Center for Economic Opportunity.
A trainer from the National Weather Service will help to teach citizens recognition of concerning weather patterns this evening at 6 p.m. at 101 E. East St. in Washington Court House. Following the completion of the training, citizens will become certified weather reporters and — once certified — these individuals can choose to register with the National Weather Service in Wilmington.
According to Melissa Havens, the director of Fayette County EMA, the National Weather Service cannot capture everything with a radar and actually relies on people on the ground who are trained weather spotters to report what they are seeing. When potentially severe weather conditions are spotted, those registered can report their observations to help with forecasts.
According to the National Weather Service website, “The most important tool for observing thunderstorms is the trained eye of the storm spotter. Doppler radar provides information about the motion of wind and precipitation inside a storm, but will not show the wind at ground level.”
“This is a great opportunity for individuals in the community to come out and learn about the weather, learn what to look for and what to be concerned about,” Havens said on Wednesday. “It is also a great opportunity for people who are responsible for others in the community. Like those who help run your schools, hospitals, churches, nursing homes or people who have a lot of residents coming to their facility for one reason or another. These people may want to attend so they are better prepared and better trained to recognize the danger when it comes. Anyone is invited, you don’t even have to be a Fayette County resident, as this is a nationwide program. It will last about two hours and it is open to all ages as well.”
More information can be found online at www.weather.gov/iln. Jennifer Woods contributed to this article.
Reach Martin Graham at (740) 313-0351 or on Twitter @MartiTheNewsGuy.
