National Weather Service offers free weather spotter course

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — The National Weather Service relies on well-trained weather spotters. Their reports help to save lives. 

Weather spotters are key when issuing an effective warning. They assisted the National Weather Service earlier this month after a tornado destroyed parts of Whiteville, Indiana. No one died in that storm. 

“We teach them what to look for, different types of cloud formation, we also do some basic radar interpretation as well,” said Jason Puma of the National Weather Service in Indianapolis.

Puma said the class will also explain how to stay safe in an active weather event. “Safety always comes first and also how to report that information to the national weather service because it’s very useful for us to get our warnings out to the public.”

There is a Skywarn Storm Spotter course on Thursday at 6 p.m. Participants must register here.