This is the minimum criteria to
send to the NWS during any communications. In some
cases, the meteorologists and radio operator will want a
report below severe criteria:
Great Scenario: NWS: "Radar indicates you should have rotation in the cell you are watching!" Spotter: Will keep an eye on that area! Should I change location for safety or a better vantage point?" Good scenario: The radios are quiet and you are bored. You want to give a report the worst of the storm likely moved on. NWS to Spotter: Do you have a report? It is sprinkling lightly. What is your response? Spotter: "No report at this time." Keep ALL reports simple, short, direct and if nothing happening, let the NWS team work on the areas of concern. BAD REPORT! Spotter: "I have light rain a few small branches down and lightning off in the distance." Seconds wasted. Sometimes, rarely the NWS will ask for conditions at your location no matter how light or heavy it may be. Then you would give them the bad report, below criteria information. Otherwise, please keep the report nearing or at severe criteria! If you do not know how to call the nearest weather service office, call 9-1-1 only if reporting catastrophic damage is approaching with details and they will pass the information to the NWS for the affected area. You need to be familiar with the area and know your directions; which direction is North, and how to escape in case one way of getting out of a flooded, damage or impending danger area cut off. Always travel in the direction 90 degrees from an approaching funnel or tornado. Safety is our first practice, and the best picture is not worth the loss of life. |
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Special Note:
Keep radio transmissions short, direct and leave any frequencies actively in use for weather as chatter free as possible. |
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Wind Speed |
Winds in excess of 58mph - tree limbs are
usually the approximate size of your wrist on the ground
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Rainfall |
Estimated rainfall that
exceeds 2" per hour
How to observe and estimate heavy rainfall - streets are water curb to curb, water pooling on highways causing hydroplaning, heavy run-off from fields, poor visibility for 20-30 minutes even at home, creeks and streams and even rivers rising fast and moving rapidly. When it rains this hard remember one thing. If you can't see the road, don't keep driving; STOP! You might save your life. Heavy rains of this magnitude can and do wash out or wash under roads, bridges, move boulders into streets. Turn Around! Don't Drown! |
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Hail |
1" or quarter sized, use
largest hail you have observed.
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Tornadoes |
A
tornado is a violent
column of air rotating from the base of the clouds and
touching the ground. You should be able to see
debris at the ground level. This often is occuring with
a lowering of a funnel from a wall cloud. Observe
for rotation. Remain a safe distance away. Please give
the following in your report immediately - slowly,
methodically, and brief as possible:
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Flooding |
Rivers, creeks and streams over their banks,
water over roads
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Winter Weather Reporting is
Critical Observations are not limited to summer
storms only.
The NWS is especially interested in reports when snow is falling and radar echoes are not always able to detect the amount of snowfall and conditions on the ground. Please pass on the following information to your weather service office |
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Sleet, ice |
Snow fall on ground too warm to retain snow will
allow accumulation of ice on power lines, trees, cars
and elevated roads and bridges.
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Snow-packed, slush |
Report observations of roads that are snow
packed and slushy. These can become dangerous conditions
if the temperature falls even a few degrees.
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Snow fall |
Meausrements in excess of 2". Wind can cause
reduced visibility and drifting. Report measurements to
nearest 1/10"
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