SKYWARN and Ham Radio: How Storm Spotting Works
When a line of severe thunderstorms moves across the United States, the people who give the National Weather Service its ground truth are often volunteers with a radio. This guide to SKYWARN ham radio activity explains what the program is, how amateur radio operators fit into it, what a spotter actually reports, and how to get started. It is based on the National Weather Service’s own program description, and it focuses on the United States, where SKYWARN is run. If you live elsewhere, similar programs exist, and we list some of them below.
What SKYWARN Is
SKYWARN is a volunteer program run by the National Weather Service (NWS). According to the agency’s SKYWARN program page, the NWS established it with partner organisations to obtain critical weather information, because thunderstorms, tornadoes and lightning cause hundreds of injuries and deaths and billions of dollars in damage in most years. The program has between 350,000 and 400,000 trained severe weather spotters, who give their local communities timely and accurate reports of severe weather. Although spotters provide information on all kinds of weather hazards, the focus is on severe local thunderstorms. The program began in the 1970s according to the NWS, while other sources date the first SKYWARN activity to 1965, so you will see both dates in print.
The idea is simple. Radar and satellites show forecasters where a storm is and how it is moving, but they cannot always see what is happening at ground level. A trained observer who sees a rotating wall cloud, a funnel cloud, large hail or a flooded road can confirm what the instruments suggest and help the forecaster issue a warning with confidence. The NWS notes that the information supplied by spotters, together with Doppler radar, improved satellite data and other sources, has enabled it to issue more timely and accurate warnings for tornadoes, severe thunderstorms and flash floods. The name and logo are registered trademarks of the NWS, so use them only as the agency allows.
Where Amateur Radio Comes In
SKYWARN has long been associated with ham radio. In many areas, spotters use amateur radio nets to communicate with one another during severe storms, which remains an important method because severe weather can disrupt telephone and internet services. Many local NWS offices maintain an amateur radio station that volunteers operate during severe weather. This allows licensed spotters to send their reports directly to the NWS and to receive up-to-date information about the storm, even if the normal communication channels are overloaded or damaged. It does require the cooperation of the local Weather Forecast Office and a continuously staffed station during the event. The NWS and the ARRL have a memorandum of understanding, which is listed among the program’s supplemental resources.
The ham radio side of SKYWARN usually has three parts. First, spotters in the field, who are on the road, at home or at a fixed lookout, observe the weather. Second, a net control station, often at the NWS office or at a volunteer station nearby, collects the reports and passes them on. Third, a repeater or a linked repeater system gives the spotters the range they need. If you are new to the idea of a directed net, our guide to running a ham radio net explains how a net control station keeps order. Automatic position reports through APRS can also help, and our article on APRS explains how that works.
You Do Not Need a Licence to Be a Spotter
An important point for newcomers is that you do not need a ham licence to take part in SKYWARN. The NWS encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join, and the volunteers include police and fire personnel, dispatchers, emergency medical workers, public utility workers and concerned private citizens. People affiliated with hospitals, schools, churches and nursing homes, or who have a responsibility for protecting others, are encouraged to become spotters. In practice, many spotters are not radio amateurs, and they report by telephone or through the internet. A radio licence simply adds a communication path that does not depend on the telephone network.
Training: What You Learn
Spotter training is free and typically lasts about two hours, according to the NWS. Classes are held by local NWS offices, usually in the relatively slow season before the severe weather months, and they are not typically offered all year, so schedules vary from office to office. If you cannot attend a class, the NWS also offers a free online program. You register as a general user and can then attend courses such as the spotter registration, the role of the spotter and a course on convective basics. Some offices also ask that you take a local class to learn about weather unique to your area. The NWS lists the main topics of the class as follows.
- The basics of thunderstorm development
- The fundamentals of storm structure
- How to identify potential severe weather features
- What information to report
- How to report it
- Basic severe weather safety
The NWS recommends refresher courses every two years according to reference sources, since the rules and the thresholds can change. Training is not a substitute for experience, but it prepares you to recognise what matters and to avoid dangerous mistakes. It is also the place to learn the local reporting thresholds, which vary by region and may change during an event.
What Spotters Report
Spotters typically report events such as structures struck by lightning, rotating wall clouds, funnel clouds and tornadoes, and conditions that exceed set thresholds, such as extremely strong winds, significant hail or very heavy rainfall. They also give reports during winter storms, floods, hurricanes and wildfires. Some spotters help with damage assessment after a disaster by documenting areas of damage and helping to form preliminary damage estimates. The exact thresholds depend on the local NWS office, so always follow the guidance from your own area.
A good report is short and specific. It includes what you saw, where you saw it, when you saw it and how reliable the observation is. Use plain language, avoid guessing and say if you are not sure. A typical on-air report gives your call sign or name, the location in terms of a road, a town or a landmark, the time, and the observation, for example the size of hail compared with a common object. Net control then relays it to the forecasters. Reports from spotters and storm chasers are given to the NWS so that forecasters have ground information to warn the public, including details that radar might miss.
Radio Equipment for Storm Spotting
Most SKYWARN nets run on VHF or UHF repeaters, so an ordinary 2 metre or 70 centimetre handheld or mobile radio is the basic tool. A mobile radio with an external antenna gives better range and reliability than a handheld. If you are using a handheld, consider an improved antenna, as explained in our handheld antenna upgrade guide. Your local clubs and NWS offices will tell you which repeaters and frequencies are used, and some areas also use simplex frequencies or HF links for coverage gaps. For the basics of repeater operation, ask a local club for a demonstration.
Think about power and safety as well. A battery-powered radio, a spare battery, a charger for the car and a notepad with a pencil are the minimum. Some spotters add a weather radio, a flashlight and a map. The NWS publishes a field spotter’s guide, which is listed with the program’s supplemental resources, and many offices provide printed copies at training sessions.
Safety First
The most important rule of storm spotting is that your safety comes first. Spotters report what they see, but they should not put themselves in harm’s way. Lightning, hail, flooding and tornadoes are life-threatening, and a report is not worth an accident. Keep a safe distance from the storm. Do not park under power lines, trees or bridges that could be unsafe. Never drive through flooded roads, and keep away from the path of a tornado. Many offices give additional safety guidance for spotters, including guidance on communications during an operation, and your training class is the place to learn it.
Radio equipment adds some extra hazards. Do not use outdoor antennas during a thunderstorm, and disconnect them if you have a fixed station and lightning is approaching, as discussed in our guide to station grounding and lightning protection. Mobile antennas that stand tall on a vehicle are not a safety risk by themselves, but remember that a car is not a safe place to be if you are in the path of a tornado. Learn your local shelter plan before you go.
How SKYWARN Differs From ARES and RACES
New operators often confuse the various emergency communication groups, so it helps to separate them. SKYWARN is a weather spotting program from the NWS. It uses amateur radio and other communication channels, but it is not a ham radio organisation. The Amateur Radio Emergency Service and the Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service are volunteer communication organisations that support served agencies and emergency managers. We describe them in our article on ARES and RACES. Many hams are in more than one group. A ham who is a SKYWARN spotter and an ARES member may be asked to help with weather reports in one role and to support emergency operations in another. The key difference is who you work for: in SKYWARN, you provide weather reports to the NWS, while ARES or RACES volunteers support agencies and community response.
| Item | SKYWARN | ARES and RACES |
|---|---|---|
| Main purpose | Severe weather observations for the NWS | Emergency communications for served agencies |
| Run by | National Weather Service | Amateur radio and emergency management organisations |
| Licence needed | No | Amateur radio licence required |
| Typical training | Free spotter class of about two hours | Local training and exercises |
| Typical activity | Weather reports and spotter nets | Message handling, shelter and event support |
Similar Programs Outside the United States
Other countries have similar programs. Examples include the Canadian spotting program CANWARN, the SkyWarnUK and TORRO programs in the United Kingdom, and Skywarn Europe for several European countries, as listed in the encyclopedia entry on Skywarn. They differ in training, reporting channels and the part played by amateur radio, so check the local organisation. Radio amateurs in Europe can also take part in storm reporting through national societies and local clubs. If you live outside the United States, look for a spotter network in your own region before you assume that the American rules apply.
How to Get Started
- Find your local NWS office. Look up the SKYWARN page for your region and check when and where the next training session takes place.
- Attend a class. The class is free, takes about two hours and explains how to report. If you cannot attend, use the online program.
- Join a local net. Ask local clubs about the SKYWARN nets and the repeaters they use. Listen to a few nets before you check in.
- Prepare your equipment. Prepare a radio, a spare battery, a notepad, a flashlight and a plan for staying safe. Pack it in a bag that you can grab quickly.
- Practise reporting. Take part in practice nets, and join the community of operators who handle reports. Practice will make you faster and clearer when it counts.
The Bottom Line
SKYWARN is the National Weather Service’s volunteer storm spotter program, and ham radio is one of the best ways to connect spotters to forecasters when the weather disrupts normal communication. You do not need a licence to join, the training is free and short, and the work is simple: observe, report accurately and stay safe. If you have a handheld radio and an interest in public service, a SKYWARN class is one of the most useful things you can do before the next storm season.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does SKYWARN do?
SKYWARN is a National Weather Service program in which trained volunteers report severe local weather, such as tornadoes, large hail and flooding, to their local NWS office. The reports help forecasters issue and verify warnings.
Do I need a ham radio licence to be a SKYWARN spotter?
No. Anyone with an interest in public service can become a spotter and can report by telephone, internet or other means. A ham licence adds a communication path that works when the telephone and internet networks are overloaded or damaged.
How long does SKYWARN training take?
The NWS says that training is free and typically lasts about two hours. The NWS also offers a free online program for those who cannot attend a local class.
What should I report during a storm?
Report events such as tornadoes, funnel clouds, rotating wall clouds, large hail, damaging winds, flooding and structure damage, following the thresholds set by your local NWS office. Keep the report short and specific, and say when and where it happened.
What radio do I need for a SKYWARN net?
Most nets run on VHF or UHF repeaters, so a 2 metre or 70 centimetre handheld or mobile radio is enough. A mobile radio with an external antenna offers better range. Ask your local club which repeaters the net uses.
Is SKYWARN the same as ARES?
No. SKYWARN is a weather spotting program of the National Weather Service, while ARES is an amateur radio emergency communications group. Many hams take part in both, but they serve different purposes.