Training Offered for Severe Storm Spotters

The past week's devastating tornado in Branson serves as a reminder that the severe weather season is just starting.

The National Weather Service (NWS) uses technology like doppler radar and satellites to predict and warn of dangerous weather, but to fill the gaps and help provide early warning, trained volunteers are used as the "eyes and ears" of the NWS on the ground.

According to the NWS website, "weather spotters provide real-time observations of severe weather events, such as tornadoes, damaging winds, hail, flooding, and winter weather" which can help meteorologists issue warnings and save lives.

Interested individuals can attend Severe Storm Spotter Training which teaches the basics of thunderstorm development, structure and features as well as reporting and basic severe weather safety. Classes generally last about two hours.

If you would like to be a volunteer storm spotter and be listed in the National Weather Service's St. Louis Storm Spotter database, you must attend one of these classes.

There are two more classes left in the spring training season:

• March 17, 9 am. at Boys Hope/Girls Hope, 12120 Bridgeton Square in Bridgeton, MO. Contact: Cliff Rozar 314-298-1250
• March 29, 6:30 p.m. at Maryland Heights Community Center, 2344 McKelvey Road in Maryland Heights. Contact Deborah Moulton at 314-283-2328.

Registration is not required for the classes.