The National Weather Service will host an in-person SkyWarn storm spotter class Tuesday at the Putnam County Convention Center to help citizens identify and report severe weather.
Putnam County Emergency Management Deputy Director Tyler Smith is helping organize the two-hour training session. The program aims to educate the public on basic thunderstorm development and fundamental storm structure so they can accurately relay information to meteorologists.
“Some people see clouds forming and they think it’s a tornado, and they’ll teach you the different things that’s called scud clouds, and, you know, funnel clouds and then actual tornado,” Smith said. “So it’s not a tornado until it touches the ground, so they report that accurate information to the weather service that way there’s not so many different false reports and stuff like that.”
The radar site located at the Old Hickory weather office has difficulty detecting smaller tornadoes at greater distances. Smith said because of this limitation, trained spotters are needed in the field to provide live updates on changing conditions.
“So some of these small tornadoes can develop and the radar not detect that, so it’s crucial for them to be getting that live information from storm spotters out in the field,” Smith said.
The course is open to anyone interested in weather, including residents from surrounding counties, as well as local law enforcement, fire personnel, and emergency medical services. The convention center can accommodate well over 100 participants for the rare in-person session.
“So not just reporting the tornadoes, but they can also report, you know, hail, flash flooding, and, you know, different things that come with severe weather, so it’s crucial to have that, you know, knowledge of what to report and what not to report,” Smith said.
The Upper Cumberland is currently in its severe weather season, which spans March, April, and May. During the 2020 tornado, local spotters were deployed in the early morning hours to track the storm, highlighting the ongoing need for trained individuals who also know how to safely take shelter.
“And it’s just the more people we have and it’s also you have to take precautions because you don’t want to be in the path of that tornado, so that’s one good reason to take the class so you know if you’re going to go out, the weather service is going to teach you how to stay away from that tornado and take shelter if that one’s, you know, if a tornado’s approaching you,” Smith said.
Those interested in attending the Cookeville class can register online at weather.gov/ohx.