Skywarn

SKYWARN is a program of the United States' National Weather Service (NWS). Its mission is to collect reports of localized severe weather. These reports are used to aid forecasters in issuing and verifying severe weather watches and warnings and to improve the forecasting and warning processes and the tools used to collect meteorological data. It consists of a network of severe storm spotters that observe weather conditions and make reports of severe weather to their local NWS offices. These spotters are trained by personnel from the local NWS offices each spring in advance of the coming severe weather season. Although the NWS trains spotter groups, their organization is left to the local Emergency Management Director, or the local police or fire departments.

Storm spotting
Where severe storms are possible, storm spotting groups such as SKYWARN in the United States coordinate amateur radio operators to keep track of severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Reports from spotters and chasers are given to the National Weather Service so that they have the information to warn the general public. Spotters also give reports during winter storms, floods, hurricanes, and wildfires.

Other countries have similar programs, such as the Canadian spotting program Canwarn, the Tornado and Storm Research Organisation (TORRO) program in the United Kingdom, and Skywarn Europe for several European countries.

Amateur radio
SKYWARN has long been associated with amateur radio. Many NWS offices maintain a radio station that is manned by amateur radio operators during times of severe weather. This allows amateur radio equipped spotters to transmit their severe weather reports directly to the NWS and receive up-to-date severe weather updates even if regular communications are disrupted or overloaded by the weather emergency.

Participation in SKYWARN does not require an amateur radio license; more than half of all SKYWARN spotters are not licensed for amateur radio and instead make their reports via telephone or the Internet when those are still functioning. A number also report using CB radio instead of amateur radio.