MAXWELL AIR FORCE BASE, Ala. -- The National Weather Service will provide a class to equip military members, civilians and community members with practical knowledge and skills to identify and report real-time ground weather conditions.
The SKYWARN program prepares participants to recognize severe weather, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, flooding, and how to report those conditions directly to the National Weather Service.
“SKYWARN supports Maxwell’s Storm Ready certification through the NWS and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration while helping build a network of trained storm spotters across the community,” said U.S. Air Force Maj. Derek Romanyk, 42d Air Base Wing chief of wing safety. “Having the ability to spot weather before it hits is basically creating a force multiplier for our community and our base.”
Participants will learn to identify severe weather features and precursor conditions such as supercells, wall clouds, and tornadoes. The program also covers thunderstorm development stages, basic radar analysis and safe methods for reporting critical data to the NWS.
According to Romanyk, weather remains one of the most significant factors affecting military operations. From flight operations to day-to-day mission execution, severe weather can cause millions of dollars in damage to aircraft and other critical assets each year. Early reports from trained spotters help provide earlier warning of hazardous conditions before storms reach the installation.
The program will also complement the skills of Airmen in weather-related career fields and benefit aircrew members, including pilots, flight engineers and personnel working on the flight line, by helping them recognize hazardous conditions before they affect operations.
“The National Weather Service collects and delivers weather, water, climate data, forecasts, and warnings and provides impact-based decision support services to protect life and property and enhance the national economy,” said Jessica Laws, NWS meteorologist.
Since 1994, the 42d Air Base Wing and the NWS have partnered to operate and maintain the East Alabama WSR-88D NEXRAD (Next Generation Weather Radar), a meteorological infrastructure that provides continuous high-resolution surveillance of the atmosphere to detect severe weather, measure precipitation, and track wind patterns.
“Under a joint agreement between the Federal Aviation Administration, the Department of Defense and the Department of Commerce, the 42d ABW maintains the radar to protect Maxwell, transiting aircraft, and the residents of Central Alabama,” said Laws. “Severe weather can strike Alabama in any month, but tornado spikes occur twice a year. Due to the frequency of the severe storms across the state, every resident needs a solid weather safety plan.”
The next class is scheduled for September, with future courses planned twice each year. The program is open to everyone, including civilians, military members, spouses and children. Registration is not required, and participants who complete the training become certified National Weather Service storm spotters.
“In terms of tornadoes and severe weather, minutes count,” Romanyk said. “If we have someone on the ground that sees this before the radar picks it up, they can call it so we can have a warning much faster.”