Storm Spotter Class to be held at UA’s Bryant Conference Center

TUSCALOOSA, Ala. – The National Weather Service will conduct a Basic Storm Spotter class for Tuscaloosa County on Tuesday, Sept. 27 at The University of Alabama’s Bryant Conference Center. The class is scheduled to start at 6:30 p.m. and end by 9 p.m.

The Storm Spotter class is free and pre-registration is not required.   However participants are urged to call the EMA office at 205/349-0150 or e-mail dhartin@tuscaloosa.com or bgreen@tuscaloosa.com so they can provide the National Weather Service with a count for their printed material. 

The class will be taught by National Weather Service Warning Coordination Meteorologist John DeBlock.  Classes are open to anyone wishing to take them. No previous experience is required.  Current spotters are urged to take the course to update their knowledge base and capabilities.

This program deals with severe, violent and unusual weather, and will cover such topics as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, downbursts, flooding and other severe weather events that are common in Alabama.  The program will also cover such topics as recognizing cloud formations, flash flooding and protective actions that should be taken.

Participants will be given the opportunity to sign up as a storm spotter and receive instructions on reporting criteria and how to report severe and unusual weather events to Tuscaloosa County EMA and the National Weather Service.

The National Weather Service uses real-time reports that meet the reporting criteria to verify what is actually happening on the ground. These reports from trained spotters help to verify the accuracy of weather warnings, and may help to save lives.

Storm spotter training is offered in the fall and spring annually. More information can be found at http://www.srh.noaa.gov/bmx/?n=skywarnschedule