[MTHOLLYSVRWX] [Fwd: [MTHOLLYSKYWARN] Listserver issues]

[n2qae]

As sent by Joe Miketta on March 12 2005

-------- Original Message --------
Subject: [MTHOLLYSKYWARN] Listserver issues
Date: Sat, 12 Mar 2005 21:36:32 -0500
From: Joseph Miketta <joseph.miketta at noaa.gov>
Reply-To: MTHOLLYSKYWARN at yahoogroups.com
To: MTHOLLYSKYWARN at yahoogroups.com


To All Skywarn Spotters,

	There’s been a lot of discussion recently on this listserver
concerning the reporting methodology for severe weather and winter
weather phenomena.   I consider open discussion a positive contribution
to the cause in that it presents all possible arguments. However, such
discussion can become detrimental if carried to extremes, and I fear we
are now reaching that point.  I would therefore like to reiterate
established reporting policies for relaying spotter reports to the
National Weather Service under the auspices of the Skywarn program.


1)  If a spotter sights a tornado or funnel cloud, the proper reporting
procedure is to contact the NWS directly and immediately via the 800
number.

ALL other reports should make their way to the NWS in Mount Holly NJ
via the following routes:

2)  If a Skywarn Net is operating in or near the county where the
weather event occurred, and if you are an amateur radio operator, the
proper reporting procedure is to contact the Net with your report.  Net
Control will then get the report to the NWS.

3)  If you a NOT an amateur radio operator, contact the County Skywarn
Coordinator by phone if you have his/her phone number.  If you don’t
have his/her phone number, try contacting the County Skywarn
Coordinator by email BEFORE severe weather is expected to see if you
can get the number.  County Skywarn Coordinator email addresses are
available on the Skywarn homepage at:
www.erh.noaa.gov/er/phi/skywarn/coords.html.

4)  If the County Skywarn Coordinator is not available, or if you don’t
have his/her phone number, please contact the NWS directly with your
report via the 800 number.

The purpose of going through the County Skywarn Coordinator with your
report (except for Tornadoes of Funnel Clouds which should always be
made directly to the NWS) is quality control and fewer phone calls at
the NWS Office in Mt. Holly.

There has also been some discussion lately about the establishment of
another listserver for Spotter reports.  Such action would undermine
the already established reporting  procedures, and will cause more
problems than it creates.

I would also like to take this opportunity to discuss the Skywarn
training presentations in light of the fact that I’ve received numerous
requests for an Advanced Training session.  Right now, our Basic
Spotter Training Course is 2.5 to 3.0 hours long, and contains much of
the same information contained in the Advanced Course offered by other
NWS offices.  We are currently re-evaluating our Spotter Training
program.  We may perhaps revamp the Basic Spotter Training program to
contain just the reporting criteria and how the reports should be
relayed to the NWS.  This would bring the length of the Basic Spotter
Training program down to about an hour or so.  If we decide to take
this route, and that’s just an “IF” right now, we would move all the
other information currently contained in the Basic program to the
Advanced Course, which would then be about 2 hours in length.

The purpose of Skywarn is to get ground truth reports to the NWS, and
Skywarn training should support this purpose.  Skywarn training is not
intended to make meteorologists out of people.  There are many on-line
courses, some of them free, for this purpose.

  As always, I appreciate you continued interest in the Skywarn
program.  Your continued participation is requested.


Sincerely,

Joe Miketta
NWS Mount Holly NJ





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