Local Storm Spotter Class scheduled for March 2
The National Weather Service will be in Breckenridge on Monday, March 2, for a free severe weather training session offered in partnership with Stephens County
In 2019, North and Central Texas experienced 40 tornadoes and several damaging straight-line wind events. These storms resulted in millions of dollars of damage. With the 2020 severe weather season not far away, the NWS and local emergency management officials are offering this year’s SKYWARN Storm Spotter Class free to the general public from 6 to 8 p.m. on Monday, March 2, at Texas State Technical College in Breckenridge.
The class, which will be free of charge and requires no preregistration. will be for citizens with any interest in the weather, regardless of their previous training. It is for established storm spotters, anyone with an interest in severe weather, and/or anyone who wants to learn more about the severe weather threats in North and Central Texas and how to be prepared.
The program is part of a regional severe weather preparedness campaign, which will include spotter training sessions in many counties in North and Central Texas. Other classes in the region can be found on the full schedule on the NWS website.
This year’s program will feature an in-depth review and study of the various threats posed by severe thunderstorms. The program will also review thunderstorm characteristics and features associated with severe and non-severe storms. Additionally, the program highlights severe weather safety and how you can report severe weather information back to the National Weather Service and local public safety officials.
“By coming to this training session, you will gain a better understanding of Texas’ severe weather season,” Tom Bradshaw, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the NWS Fort Worth Office, said in a news release. “Waiting until storms are on your doorstep is not the time to start thinking about severe weather preparedness. We hope you attend these free sessions to learn more about the severe storms that impact the region every year.”
The Stephens County severe weather program is one of more than 35 training sessions that the Fort Worth National Weather Service Office will conduct between January and March 2020. The National Weather Service in Fort Worth provides forecasts, warnings, and weather services for 46 counties in North and Central Texas.
For more information on severe weather, visit the NWS website at http://www.weather.gov/fortworth, on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/NWSDallasFortWorth and on Twitter: @NWSFortWorth.
