Take a class
The National Weather Service runs free SKYWARN spotter classes, in person and sometimes online. A basic class takes about two hours.
Weather spotting
You don't need to chase to help.
Spotters report what they see from where they already are. Those reports help forecasters confirm what radar shows and warn the people downstream.
Get trained
Free SKYWARN classes.
Find yours
Classes are run by your local NWS office and county emergency management. For our area, that's NWS Mobile/Pensacola.
Know the limits
Spotter training teaches you what to look for. It does not train you to chase, and spotting never means putting yourself in danger.
What to report
Report what's happening, not what might.
- Tornadoes, funnel clouds and wall clouds: what you saw, where and which way it was moving.
- Hail: compare to a coin or ball, or measure it.
- Wind: measured gusts, or damage such as large limbs or trees down.
- Flooding: water over roads, in homes, or rivers out of their banks.
- Damage: buildings, power lines, roads blocked.
- Always include the time, your exact location, and whether you saw it yourself.
How to send it
Get it to the forecasters.
NWS report form
Your local NWS office takes storm reports online. Include a photo if you have one.
mPING
A free NOAA research app for quick reports of rain, hail, snow, wind and flooding.
Spotter Network
A free volunteer network that shares trained spotters' positions and reports with the NWS.
Life-threatening emergency? Call 911 first. Report to the weather service after you're safe.