SKYWARN - Serving the ICT-Wichita NWS Field Office

National Weather Service Office in Wichita, KS

Many thanks to Meteorologist In Charge Richard Elder and Warning Meterologist Chance Hayes and the many other long-term staff - the many years of service to central and southeastern Kansas. There is no endorsement of this site by NWS or NOAA

What is SKYWARN?

NWS offices around the country utilize various spotter networks for severe and other inclement weather verification and reporting. The various spotter networks are comprised of emergency management officials, law enforcement, fire fighters, EMS personnel, and road crews. We also utilize the general public with training taking place during the late winter and early spring as NWS personnel travel to various counties to provide training. A final group of spotters utilized by our NWS office are amateur radio operators.

Skywarn (formed in the early 1970s) is the National Weather Service (NWS) program of volunteer severe weather spotters. Skywarn volunteers support their local community and government by providing the NWS with timely and accurate severe weather reports. These reports, when integrated with modern NWS technology, are used to inform communities of approaching severe weather. The focus of Skywarn (and of the NWS) is simple...to save lives and property.
Since the early 1990s, the WSR-88D (Doppler Weather Radar) has provided valuable information to forecasters...with better detection of severe storm phenomena and more accurate and timely warnings. However, even with the advance in technology..."ground truth" is still a very important part of the warning process. "Ground truth" is what is actually occurring. Is the storm tornadic? Is it producing large hail? How about damaging winds? Most of the "ground truth" is provided by trained storm spotters (through Skywarn)...or the "eyes of the NWS."

Who is Eligible?

SKYWARN is an open volunteer organization. That means we accept reports from anyone in the public whether they have an amateur radio license or not. Whether they are out in their cars 1/8th of a mile from a tornado or in their homes in their favorite chair whether on their cell phone or on their ham radio.

There are NO requirements to be a SKYWARN member.

To be a good SKYWARN member - to be someone who:

is safe and not in the way
gives concise meaningful weather ground truth information
refrains from giving unnecessary weather reports
who has good equipment that functions
who continues to improve their weather education

is to make each report you give LISTENED and ACTED on. If the SKYWARN volunteers and the NWS recognize you when you give reports... and know that you have given a valid report.

There is room for people who are new ... and experienced... in SKYWARN!

How can I get involved?

Every year the National Weather Service in Wichita conducts spotter training sessions. Individuals aMonday, April 14, 2008 12:00s to look for and where to find them. What and how to report information and basic severe weather safety are also covered. The class is a multi-media presentation which includes detailed video. The class typically takes around 1 1/2 hours. More information on Storm Spotter clases will be posted on our Spotter Talks Page when they become available.
Feel free to sign up at spotternetwork.org and enter your reports in realtime.
To view online spotter guides click here.
For information on the weekly Amateur Radio net.

Amateur Radio Operators

Ham radio operators are a vital link in the spotter and communication network used by the NWS during severe or otherwise inclement weather. Hams are duty bound by holding an FCC license to help without picuniary gains in many emergency responses. Not only do they report what they see with their own eyes, but they can report what others see, and also provide communications to other NWS offices should normal communication modes fail. New repeaters continue to be installed by dedicated and hard-working hams to expand their networks. We also continue to learn of and put into use these new systems as soon as possible.

If you notice errors or omissions, know of new repeaters that need to be added, need to change your spotter address or phone number, or just have a SKYWARN/spotting question, drop Sherry Weir, Wichita NWS Coordinator a line so we can take care of your request ASAP. Note: This email address is not for sending severe weather reports, but instead is for administrative tasks.

For severe weather reporting via the internet as a report after alerting proper local authorities, please use the NWS eSpotter form to send reports to the NWS office. eSpotter is a system to facilitate the submission of spotter reports online. The system is being developed to enhance and increase timely & accurate online spotter reporting and communications between spotters and their local weather forecast offices. The use of the system is currently available for trained spotters and emergency managers.

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