02-04-2025
Storm spotter training takes place as severe weather threat looms
PITTSBURG, Kans. — The National Weather Service (NWS) hosted a storm spotter training class for those in emergency services and anyone with an interest in weather and storms.
NWS spotter training takes place each spring, with classes held in almost every county. Tuesday night (4/1) it was Crawford County's turn.
The course is taught by Steve Runnels, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist for the Springfield, Missouri office of the NWS.
Volunteers or 'spotters' are taught how to provide timely and accurate reports of severe weather.
Aside from doppler radar, which has limitations when looking into a storm, Runnels says spotters are essential to knowing what the conditions are on the ground.
They also play a key role when it comes to warning those in the path of a severe storm.
'The key is if you're in a position to effectively and correctly report upon something, if you can get that information into me, into the National Weather Service, or into local authorities, we have the ability to get the information out through the media to people in the path of storm, and together we save lives,' said Runnels.
'Sometimes that information from the National Weather Service is a little delayed or they're not seeing what we're seeing. For those people on the ground — this class does a great job of just saying, 'hey, this is what to look for and this is what to report,' said Crawford County Emergency Management Director, Quinton Parsons.
This was one of the last storm spotter training courses of the year for the counties covered by NWS Springfield.
The last one takes place in Lawrence County on Wednesday, April 9 in the county health department meeting room.
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