SKYWARNtm Across Central California
Our Storm Spotter Newsletter
Join us for SKYWARNtm Recognition Day on December 3, 2011!
Amateur radio operators and weather enthusiasts alike are encouraged to participate in the SKYWARNtm
program, although anyone with an interest in the weather and public safety can become a volunteer Weather Spotter for the NWS!
The NWS Hanford office has official spotters ranging in age from 12 years to over 80 years.
The training takes about two hours and will familiarize you with the identification of hazardous weather for reporting these
observations to forecasters at the NWS office in Hanford. The contribution of weather spotters cannot be underestimated!
Trained weather spotters can make a very significant difference during severe weather by giving the forecasters on duty eyes
and ears in local areas that have a lack of ground reports. The purpose is the same as the whole purpose of the NWS as an
agency: to save lives and property and enhance the national economy.
Spotters that have previously had the training are reminded that NWS policy is for you to have a refresher training course
every three years to remain a certified spotter. If you wish to attend these training sessions, please RSVP by email or
phone. If you have recently moved to Central California and were a SKYWARNtm spotter anywhere else
in the country, please let us know as we can renew your information for your new community.
In the event that you had training within the last three years it would still be helpful to update on some of the latest spotter
techniques and relay knowledge to some of the less experienced spotters. This is also an excellent opportunity to meet some of
the personnel at NWS Hanford that many of you have already talked to on the phone. We would also like to remind our spotters that
the ideal training site is the NWS office, but remote sites are often selected to minimize travel in other areas. Please contact
us if you would like to have a class scheduled in your area for your community group. It is also helpful if you can arrange a
site to conduct the training, if possible.
While telephone reports from trained spotters are common in California and can be received via our "1-800" number, amateur radio
is embraced as a reporting means because of its mobility and success during catastrophies or emergency communication situations.
Here are the frequencies that local amateur radio SKYWARNtm volunteers utilize when operating a weather
net in Central California:
***Our Call Sign is WX6HNX***
***Voice on 2-Meter Band at 146.880(-) MHz PL 103.5***
***Weekly Weather Net Every Wednesday at 1900 Hrs.***
See Bruce Buhler's article about participation in SKYWARNtm Recognition Day, 2009!
See Dan Pruitt's article about participation in SKYWARNtm Recognition Day, 2008!
If you have an interest in weather and think you would like to assist the NWS in helping to serve your community and neighbors, consider becoming a volunteer weather spotter. Please contact the Chairman of the volunteer SKYWARNtm Radio Committee, or the NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist for further information.
Important Links:
Our Storm Spotter Newsletter
See the SKYWARNtm Training page for the latest classes across the central California interior!
Public Training on Spotter Report Quality
Basic Spotters Field Guide (pdf format)
Advanced Spotters Field Guide (pdf format)
National SKYWARNtm Homepage
Contacts for the SKYWARNtm Program:
For the SKYWARNtm Radio Committee Chairman please send an email to skywarnhanford@gmail.com
Or
For NWS coordination of SKYWARNtm please email James Brotherton, Warning Coordination Meteorologist:
e-mail: james.brotherton@noaa.gov
Telephone inquiries are also encouraged at the NWS Office at the following number, or our 1-800 toll free spotter number (which is only provided during training classes):
(559) 584-3752
Thank you for your continued support and interest in the National Weather Service's SKYWARNtm program!
Lemoore Supercell Thunderstorm, November 22, 1996
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