SKYWARN®

The National Weather Service encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join the SKYWARN® program. Volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, EMS workers, public utility workers and other concerned private citizens. Individuals affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes or who have a responsibility for protecting others are encouraged to become a spotter. Go here for more information:  https://www.weather.gov/SKYWARN

We are always looking for local spotters.  Please contact us at skywarn@isantiradio.org

NWS Skywarn Spotter Activation Map

NWS Twin Cities – Local Spotter Activation Status (weather.gov)

SKYWARN NET  PREAMBLE:

BREAK……IS THIS FREQUENCY IN USE? [PAUSE ]THIS IS ISANTI SKYWARN NET CONTROL…THIS REPEATER IS NOW CLOSED…ALL TRAFFIC MUST COME THRU NET CONTROL!

IS THERE ANY EMERGENCY OR PRIORITY TRAFFIC AT THIS TIME?  [PAUSE]

DUE TO A SEVERE WEATHER THREAT IN OR AROUND ISANTI COUNTY, STATIONS ARE REQUESTED TO CONTACT NET CONTROL WITH YOUR SPOTTER ID NUMBER, LOCATION AND ANY REPORTABLE CONDITIONS.

THIS IS SKYWARN NET CONTROL_ (YOUR CALL SIGN HERE)

AN ACTIVE WEATHER NET IS IN PROGRESS ON THIS REPEATER –    (REPEAT EVERY 15 MIN)

What Does A Skywarn Spotter Report?

Net Control – Calls NWS

With Spotter Reports of Reportable Conditions

  • Tornado – All tornadoes, include their duration and direction of movement.
  • Funnel Cloud – All funnel clouds, watch for rotation. Include their duration and direction of movement.
  • Wall Cloud – All wall clouds, include their duration and direction of movement.
  • Hail – 1/2 inch in diameter and larger. Hail needs to be one inch (quarter-sized in diameter) to be considered severe. Always report the largest hailstone you have observed and describe in terms of common objects such as pennies, quarters, golf balls, softballs, etc. The size of the hailstone will always be described in terms of the diameter. Also report hail that is accumulating and covering the ground.
  • Near Continuous Cloud to Ground Lightning
  • Winds—All winds greater than 45 MPH
  • Heavy Rain—Falling at a rate of 1” per hour or greater (1/2” in 30 minutes) , or more than 1” per day in winter. Rapidly falling heavy rain may be a precursor to flash flooding.
  • Freezing Rain/Drizzle—Any measurable freezing rain. This is one of the most dangerous winter weather hazards!
  • Heavy snow—1” per hour or greater, or storm total 4” or more, or snow causing road closures. Any snowfall in Western Nevada Valleys.
  • Flooding – Any water flowing where it normally does not or rivers flowing above their banks.
  • Flash Flooding—Report rapid rises in creeks and streams. Flash flooding occurs very quickly, and generally is of short duration ( < 3 hours)
  • Low Visibility—Visibility less than 1/2 mile for any reason (fog, haze, blowing dust, blowing snow, etc.)
  • Any and All Weather Related Damage, Death, or Injury—If weather causes any damage, death, or injury.

When it is safe, please phone in your reports to help save a life!
Never assume someone has already called; all reports help!

Spotter Reporting Tips:

Giving Your Report

When you have a report of severe weather to pass to the National Weather Service, tune to your local SKYWARN Repeater and check in to the SKYWARN net. If you do not hear any activity on the repeater, call for “SKYWARN Net Control” and wait to be recognized.

Giving a Good Report

Giving an effective report is critical to the efficient operation of a SKYWARN net. Please review the information and sample report exchange below.

  • The most important things to remember about participating in a SKYWARN net:
  • STAY SAFE! Do not put yourself in harm’s way, and do not jeopardize your safety for the sake of contributing anything to SKYWARN!
  • Make your report as complete as possible while keeping the transmission brief. In other words, avoid long-winded dialog with Net Control or engaging in any communication not related to your report.
  • Please try to be sure your report meets severe criteria. See the Reporting Criteria, which will be periodically announced by Net Control.

Report Content

When giving your report, whether in an informal or directed net, your transmission should include the following:

  • Your call sign.
  • Let us know if you are a Trained Spotter. We do not need your Spotter ID.
  • What’s happening – give your report – be accurate, do not embellish your report.
  • The location where the incident occurred or is occurring – be specific and give the location relative to well-known landmarks, towns, or intersections.
  • Indicate whether the information reported is MEASURED or ESTIMATED – very important!
  • WHEN the event happened – give a SPECIFIC TIME to Net Control (“now” or “7:15 pm”) – again, indicate whether this is the actual measured time or if it is estimated.
  • Where the report came from – did YOU observe it yourself, or was it passed by a third party? Who? Are they a trained spotter?

Additional Spotter Reporting Tips

  • Pass your traffic clearly.
  • Stay on topic.
  • Repeat key figures if necessary.
  • Phonetically spell lesser-known town or road names.
  • If you aren’t sure where you are, as a last resort we can accept GPS coordinates in decimal format only.
  • When your report is complete, wait for confirmation from Net Control. Net Control will read the report back to you. Listen carefully to ensure all the information was copied correctly. If Net Control needs you to repeat something, such a request will be made.
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