DAVENPORT, Iowa — Calling all weather weenies! Do you have a passion for keeping an eye on the sky or measuring rain/snow? Perhaps you are just interested in expanding your knowledge of impactful weather? The U.S. National Weather Service has an event coming up that you'll likely be interested in!
This November you can take advantage of a totally free spotter training class held virtually online. There are a total of three sessions can you register for, each covering all-season topics, including severe weather and how to measure/report snowfall amounts. You only need to register for one of the three.
The following sessions are available and registration is now open (click dates to register):
Who should attend these sessions?
This training is open to everyone, especially those who are at least 10 years old. No previous knowledge of the weather is necessary. There is absolutely no cost to attend and they last around two hours. It's a great opportunity to not only learn about how you can help keep people in and around the Quad Cities safe from severe weather, but also a chance to become familiar with our local meteorologists working a the National Weather Service.
Rich Kinney, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service in the Quad Cities, says they have more than 4,500 weather spotters registered in their database throughout the Quad Cities region and this is a great way for those folks to get engaged.
What will be covered?
Everything from winter storms to severe weather. Measuring snowfall and reporting it is an important part of the forecast and verification process. Currently, there is no automated way to measure snowfall, unlike rainfall which can be measured electronically with a rain gauge. These measurements are important pieces of data that can even be used to improve the forecast of future winter storms!
Also, don't forget that tornadoes know no season here in the Quad Cities and can develop during any month of the year!
This winter session will not replace the usual spring severe storm spotter sessions. Those will still be held in-person and virtually for 2024. Registration for those times usually opens early in the new year.
Don't forget that our online Storm Track 8 University is also a great resource for learning more about how our weather works here in the Quad Cities and areas beyond.