Visual indicators spotters can look for to identify possible severe weather.

We'll study the meteorological dynamics involved in thunderstorm production and what it takes for a storm to produce damaging winds, large hail, and tornadoes.

Thunderstorm formation and the types of thunderstorms.

The mission of the National Weather Service and how SKYWARN® spotters play an important role in the warning process.

SKYWARN® training covers the following topics: What does Skywarn Spotter training cover? Public safety personnel are also encouraged to attend SKYWARN® training. Anyone who spends time outdoors, whether working, camping, fishing, golfing, or hiking will also benefit from a SKYWARN® class. No registration is required, just show up. We encourage anyone with an interest in weather to attend a SKYWARN® class in your community to become an official and trained weather spotter. Our neighboring offices in Grand Forks, Minneapolis, La Crosse, Green Bay, and Marquette offer training for their service areas. At the Duluth office, we are responsible for training across northeastern Minnesota and northwestern Wisconsin. There can be no finer reward than to know that their efforts have given communities the precious gift of time, the seconds and minutes which can help save lives.Įach Spring, National Weather Service offices across the country train volunteers within their area of responsibility. Since the program began in the 1970s, the information provided by SKYWARN® spotters has helped the National Weather Service issue timely and accurate warnings to protect lives and property. The National Weather Service's SKYWARN® program provides FREE 2-hour training to volunteers in the community who help identify and report severe weather including large hail, damaging winds and tornadoes. If you did not take a spotter class in 2021 and want to update your information, or for anyone who wishes to be removed from our database, please use this: Update Information or Remove From List (You may also email Bryan directly at Skywarn Spotter CardĪre you looking for a spotter card to print out? Use our Skywarn Spotter Card Generator! (You will need a code - for the code, please email Bryan at to verify spotter information.)

If you registered as a spotter in Spring 2021 or later, you can use the email confirmation you received to update your information. Tools for current spotters Remove from Database OR Update Information You'll also get a link to watch last year's Advanced class! If you have questions, comments, or feedback on this class or the Skywarn program, please contact Meteorologist Bryan Howell: for a recording of the Advanced Skywarn training? Once you complete the basic training and register as a spotter, you will automatically get a link to the Advanced class recording.

If you're from the Northland and want to register to be a spotter, or you just want to get a bit of refresher training, please check out the recorded version! To register as a spotter (or to refresh your contact information if you're a current spotter), following these three steps: 1) Watch the video below 2) Write down each of the 3 'code words' presented in the video 3) Fill out the Spotter Registration Form. After you register, we'll send you an email with a 'hand out' document from the class that has our spotter phone number, a summary of what and how to report to our office, and some links to websites we discussed during the presentation. If you missed the live classes during the spring, it's okay! We recorded the presentation and it's available for you to watch anytime.

National weather service duluth