Winter Skywarn Training Offered in Oakland County

Weather radar can’t replace the human eye, Homeland Security Division Manager Theodore Quisenberry said. Training starts Oct. 18. (Photo via Flickr)

_________

Oakland County Homeland Security Division is offering winter Skywarn training which comes around only once every three years. It will host a free National Weather Service winter spotter training class on Saturday, Oct. 18 at the Executive Office Building Conference Center, 2100 Pontiac Lake Road in Waterford. The class will expand the network of severe winter weather spotters who can help save lives.

“Sometimes the best information we obtain about severe winter weather comes from Skywarn weather spotters on the ground,” Oakland County Executive L. Brooks Patterson said. “I encourage anyone who wants to play a vital role for the National Weather Service this winter to sign up for this class.”

The Skywarn class will go from 10 a.m. to noon. Instructors will talk about:

• Spotting snow, ice, floods, high winds and dense fog
• Measuring snowfall and estimating ice accumulation and wind speeds
• The definitions of watches, warnings and advisories
• Winter weather safety
• A review of the 2013-2014 winter season
• The outlook for the 2014-2015 winter season

“Weather radar cannot replace the human eye when it comes to revealing ground-level detail,” Homeland Security Division Manager Theodore Quisenberry said. ”This class will teach the skills one needs to be an effective weather spotter.” To register, call 248-858-5300. Seating is limited. For more information, click on www.oakgov.com/homelandsecurity.