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SKYWARN is a program of the United States's 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 weather 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.

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 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.

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 to allow other amateur radio equipped spotters a reliable means by which to transmit their severe weather reports to their local office and receive up-to-date severe weather updates. It is important to note that 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.

Those interested in participating in SKYWARN should contact the Warning Coordination Meteorologist at their local NWS office.

External links

National Skywarn Homepage
Skywarn Recognition Day
Skywarn Website Index (please note that most of these are amateur radio related)
NWS Southern Region Headquarters (contains a clickable map of local NWS office websites)
ARRL-American Radio Relay League (for those interested in getting started in amateur radio)
StormWiki
Voice Over Internet Protocol Weather Net (mostly supports National Hurricane Center but has local Skywarn participation)

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 '''SKYWARN''' is a program of the [[United States]]'s [[NOAA National Weather Service|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 [[weather spotter]]s 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.
+==== Storm spotting ====
+Where severe storms are possible, storm spotting groups such as [[Skywarn|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]] 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 [http://www.on.ec.gc.ca/canwarn/home-e.html CANWARN].
 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 to allow other amateur radio equipped spotters a reliable means by which to transmit their severe weather reports to their local office and receive up-to-date severe weather updates.  It is important to note that 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.