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The Skywarn Program:

 

HAM radio operators have a special place in the SKYWARN program. National Weather Service (NWS) offices have Amateur Radio Stations or HAM radio equipment on site. The callsign for the Morristown TN weather station is WX4MRX. The WX4MRX station can operate on several amateur bands simultaneously. The radio station has 3 dual band (2 meter & 440) radios, a single 220 radio and a 2 meter radio operating a stand alone APRS / Wide N-n digipeater.  Currently the addition of a High Frequency (HF) radio system is under consideration to give the weather service greater regional communications abilities.

Localized SKYWARN nets run by the volunteer amateur radio net control operators allow for reports to be directly heard at NWS offices in near time reporting.

How the program began:

During 1942 and 1943, the Weather Bureau cooperated with the military in setting up volunteer storm spotter networks to protect military installations and recognized the value of first hand, real time information. The primary concern was for lightning near ordnance plants, but the program grew substantially during the war, and the spotter mission expanded to include other hazardous weather, including tornadoes. After WWII, spotter networks were maintained for military installations.

On May 25, 1955, a tornado in Udall, Kansas killed 80 people and injured 273. 

At that point The Weather Bureau decided to recruit severe weather spotters to help obtain real time severe weather information in order to help extend lead time and increase accuracy of severe weather forecasts.

On March 8, 1959, the Weather Bureau held the first training course in Wellington, Kansas for 225 severe weather spotters. In 1965, the Natural Disaster Warning System (NADWARN) was established to coordinate the natural disaster-related emergency functions of various Federal agencies. A special, tornado-specific plan called SKYWARN was created, under the guidance of the United States Weather Bureau. More information about the NWS can be found here. National Weather Service

The SKYWARN Program today:

SKYWARN consists of a network of all-hazard weather spotters (not just tornadoes).NWS has over 167,000 trained all-hazard weather spotters in the SKYWARN program. These spotters work with theWarning Coordination Meteorologists (WCMs) at the 122 NWS offices throughout the United States. Some Weather Forecast Offices (WFO) offer additional classes in winter storm watch, hurricane watch, floods, thunderstorms, tornadoes, use of radar, and amateur radio networking.

When weather conditions are favorable for severe thunderstorms or tornadoes to develop, a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch is issued. A severe thunderstorm or tornado warning is issued when severe weather has been reported by a SKYWARN spotter or indicated by Doppler radar. SKYWARN volunteers become the NWS's and local Emergency Management Agency (EMA) eyes and ears, helping them to provide the public with better weather watch and warning services.

The NWS and/or the local EMA's may request activation of the SKYWARN net whenever there is a threat of severe weather or when the NWS issues a severe thunderstorm or tornado watch. In this case, information may be relayed via amateur radio using FM voice repeaters or other means using digital communications such as Automatic Position Reporting System (APRS)) . Localized events may be phoned directly to the NWS and/or local emergency management if a Skywarn weather net is not activated

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