GREENE COUNTY, Missouri – Each year, severe weather causes injuries, fatalities, and billions of dollars in damage across the United States. To help improve warning accuracy and public safety, the National Weather Service partners with trained volunteer storm spotters. Community members are invited to attend a SKYWARN® Storm Spotter Training on March 17, 2026, at Hatch Auditorium in Springfield, Missouri. The training is free and open to anyone interested in learning how to recognize and safely report severe weather.
Training covers the basics of thunderstorm development, recognizing severe weather features, what information to report, how to report it, and important severe weather safety practices.
SKYWARN® includes more than 350,000 trained volunteers nationwide who provide real-time reports of severe weather conditions directly to the National Weather Service. These ground-level observations help forecasters confirm radar information and issue faster, more accurate warnings for hazards such as tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, and flash flooding.
Volunteers come from many backgrounds, including law enforcement, firefighters, EMS personnel, utility workers, and community members. People who work in schools, hospitals, churches, or other facilities responsible for public safety are also encouraged to participate.
EVENT DETAILS:
March 17, 2026 from 6 – 8 PM
Hatch Auditorium (4653 S Campbell Ave, Springfield, MO 65810)
For more information, contact Nicolette Zangara at 224-778-0182 or nzangara@greenecountymo.gov