Severe weather impacts communities across the country every year—and here in Kentucky, that’s nothing new. To help keep the public safe, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and the National Weather Service (NWS) created the SKYWARN program in partnership with local organizations.
SKYWARN is a nationwide volunteer network of nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters, including many amateur radio operators. These volunteers play a critical role by reporting real-time conditions—such as damaging winds, heavy rain, tornadoes, ice, and snow—directly to the NWS, helping improve forecasts and warnings.
Want to get involved? There are two ways to become a trained SKYWARN spotter through NWS Jackson, KY:
In-Person Training: Free classes are held periodically across eastern Kentucky in partnership with county Emergency Management. These sessions are open to the public unless otherwise noted.
Online Training: If you can’t attend in person, you can complete a series of online modules covering spotting procedures, reporting criteria, and safety. The training takes about 2–3 hours total. After completion, you’ll be contacted for any additional local requirements.
For more information or to get started, visit the national SKYWARN page or access the online training modules here: https://www.meted.ucar.edu/training_course.php?id=23