Storm spotter class on tap March 21 in Southside
Human eyes remain a key component in keeping people safe during severe weather, and the Gadsden/Etowah County Emergency Management Department and the Southside Police Department hope to get more of them watching.
They are teaming up to host a free SKYWARN Storm Spotter class, presented by the National Weather Service, from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. March 21 at the Southside Community Center, 2142 Alabama Highway 77.
The SKYWARN program started in the 1970s, according to a news release from the EMA, and prepares volunteers to help verify local weather conditions. There are nearly 290,000 trained spotters deployed throughout the United States, according to the release, offering on-the-ground input to go along with radar and satellite data to help the NWS provide accurate and timely warnings for flash floods, severe storms and tornadoes.
Their role doesn't stop once the storms do, however, as they're also crucial in gathering after-the-fact data.
Register online at https://tinyurl.com/Storm-Spotter-Reg or https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSemfqkUprPENzw1VfRwSnExb0SCb_3PuWX651UOQIrcR3OOkQ/viewform?fbclid=IwAR2_SofvPCga-G1FRt9T9FalGlfHWdGsA_RbzADW_7kyVyq_RpMFtcvrJo8&pli=1.
Call the EMA at EMA at 256-549-4575 for more information.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: How to become a trained storm spotter in Gadsden
