Free SKYWARN Storm Spotter Training Feb. 18 at Rockwall library

(Feb. 7, 2017) North and Central Texas had it all in 2016 when it came to storms. We saw record setting large hail in Wylie, catastrophic flooding in Palestine, and 18 tornadoes across the area. This past year was a typical year, with severe thunderstorms occurring throughout the year. Are you ready for whatever 2017 will throw at you?

The National Weather Service in Fort Worth wants you to prepare for the 2017 severe weather season. The National Weather Service will be offering a free class at the SKYWARN severe weather program on Saturday, February 18th, from 11:00 AM to 1:00 PM. The program will be held at Rockwall County Library in Rockwall and is held in partnership with Rockwall County Emergency Management.

This class is free of charge and no pre-registration is necessary. This class is for organized storm spotters and anyone with an interest in severe weather. This is part of a regional severe weather preparedness campaign, which will include spotter training sessions across 46 counties in North and Central Texas. Other classes in the region can be found on the full schedule http://www.weather.gov/fwd/skywarnsch?sptrsch

This year’s program discusses thunderstorm formation, ingredients, and features associated with severe and non-severe storms. Several examples and cases for 2015 and 2016 will be shown. The program will discuss spotter operations and recommended reporting procedures. Most importantly, we will discuss what you can do to keep you and others safe when thunderstorms threaten.

This session is free and open to the public. No advanced registration is necessary.

“By coming to this training session, you will gain a better understanding of Texas’ severe weather season,” says Tom Bradshaw, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the NWS Fort worth Office. “Waiting until storms are on your doorstep is not the time to start thinking about severe weather preparedness. We hope you attend these free sessions to learn more about the severe storms that impact the region every year.”

The Rockwall County severe weather program is one of 46 training sessions that the Fort Worth NWS Office will conduct between January and March 2017, with a session in each county. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth provides forecasts, warnings, and weather services for 46 counties in north and north-central Texas.

For more information on severe weather, visit http://www.weather.gov/fortworth, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSDallasFortWorth and on Twitter: @NWSFortWorth

Submitted press release by Melanie Jensen, Emergency Management Specialist, Rockwall County

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  Library, rockwall county emergency management, skywarn, storm training