Storm Spotter Training Program Scheduled for Thursday, Jan. 26

Contact: Jennifer Dunn, National Weather Service, Fort Worth, 817-429-2631
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WACO, Texas (Jan. 18, 2023) – The 2023 spring severe weather season is not too far away, and the National Weather Service and local public safety officials want you to be ready. The National Weather Service (NWS) Office out of Fort Worth will be conducting a free severe weather training class for McLennan County from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Jan. 26, in the Letterwinners Lounge at McLane Stadium on the Baylor University campus. Officially called the SKYWARN Storm Spotter Class, the program will be held in partnership with the Waco-McLennan Office of Emergency Management. There is no cost to attend this class.

Lunch will be provided with this SKYWARN class on behalf of the Baylor University Department of Public Safety, so registration is required to assist with the number of lunches. The registration link can be found HERE. For parking, attendees should park in Lot 2 in the north side of the stadium and enter the stadium through Gate C to the left of the Texas Farm Bureau Box Office.

This class is for anyone with an interest in severe weather, established storm spotters and/or anyone who wants to learn more about the severe weather threats in North and Central Texas and how to be prepared. This class is part of the NWS Fort Worth Office’s annual severe weather preparedness campaign. Other classes in the region can be found on the full SKYWARN schedule.

This year’s program will feature an in-depth review and study of the various threats posed by severe thunderstorms. The program also will review thunderstorm characteristics and features associated with severe and non-severe storms. Additionally, the program highlights severe weather safety and how you can report severe weather information to the NWS Fort Worth Office and local public safety officials.

“By participating in this training session, you will gain a better understanding of Texas’ severe weather threats,” said Tom Bradshaw, Meteorologist-in-Charge of the NWS Fort Worth Office. “Waiting until storms are on your doorstep is not the time to start thinking about severe weather preparedness. We hope you attend these free classes to learn more about the severe storms that impact the region every year.”

The McLennan County SKYWARN Storm Spotter class is one of several severe weather training sessions the NWS Fort Worth Office will conduct around the region between January and March 2023. The National Weather Service Office in Fort Worth provides forecasts, warnings and weather services for 46 counties in North and Central Texas. For more information, visit their website or find them on Facebook and on Twitter at @NWSFortWorth.

ABOUT BAYLOR UNIVERSITY

Baylor University is a private Christian University and a nationally ranked Research 1 institution. The University provides a vibrant campus community for more than 20,000 students by blending interdisciplinary research with an international reputation for educational excellence and a faculty commitment to teaching and scholarship. Chartered in 1845 by the Republic of Texas through the efforts of Baptist pioneers, Baylor is the oldest continually operating University in Texas. Located in Waco, Baylor welcomes students from all 50 states and more than 90 countries to study a broad range of degrees among its 12 nationally recognized academic divisions.