The SKYWARN Program was implemented by NWS (National Weather Service in the 1970's, and retains a critical role as a first line of defense for severe weather threats such as storms, tornadoes and flash floods. The National Weather Service trains new volunteers every year.
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What is SKYWARN
The SKYWARN spotter program is a nationwide network of volunteers trained by the National Weather Service that provide us with timely and accurate severe weather reports. Reports arrive at our office via volunteer citizens with access to a phone or the Internet, operators of citizen band radio, or licensed Operators of Amateur Radio. These reports, combined with modern NWS technology, are used to determine what the storms will do next and to inform commmunities of the proper actions to take as severe weather threatens through warnings, statements, and short-term forecasts to the public.
Despite the elaborate radar and forecasting equipment at the National Weather Service, we are only able to determine the potential for severe weather. We rely on reports from the public and law enforcement personnel. The National Weather Service needs real-time reports of hail size, wind damage, flash flooding, heavy rain, and tornado development, in order to effectively warn the public. However, accurate and reliable information from the general public is difficult to obtain. The NWS has found that only regular training of weather spotters through programs improves the quality of information.
When hazardous weather occurs such as severe thunderstorms, floods, tornadoes, snow and ice storms, our volunteers report what is happening at their location. They are asked to report whenever certain criteria are met, such as when one inch of rain has fallen, six inches of snow are on the ground, a thunderstorm is producing hail, or trees have been blown down. Reports arrive at our office via volunteer citizens. The reports are combined with radar and satellite data to determine what the storms will do next and are used to send out statements, warnings and short-term forecasts to the public.
Anyone interested in getting involved in SKYWARN need to satisfy only a small criteria. You must be at least 16 years old, be able to observe weather (though no instruments are required), and have access to a telephone to call in reports, or be an amateur radio operator.
You must take our SKYWARN class which is a 3-hour seminar that teaches you the basics of how SKYWARN operates, how to spot severe thunderstorms and tornadoes, what to report, how to report, and when. After the class, you are given a SKYWARN ID and certificate which confirms your training, and written instructions of what to report and how. There is no cost for the class, which is held at various locations throughout our region.
NorCal Skywarn Net
NorCal Skywarn Net
Information About NorCal Skywarn® Net
Information About NorCal Skywarn® Net
The NorCal Skywarn® N6CSW Net takes place every Wednesday evening at 7:00 PM and is open to all licensed radio operators who wish to participate. This net features check-ins of Skywarn® members, weather bulletins and a SKYWARN® related discussion period. Visitors are welcome and encouraged to participate in the Net.
NorCal Skywarn® operates on the K6IS EAST repeater system (in Folsom) and has an output frequency of 145.190 MHz, a negative offset, and a PL tone of 162.2 Hz. That repeater is linked full time to a 220 repeater with an output frequencies of 224.400 MHz, a negative offset, and a PL tone of 162.2 Hz.
We are also available through the K6MVR, W6CX, and KA7AU repeaters and the EchoLink *SKY_GATE* Conference Server which is connected to the Western Reflector - IRLP.
K6MVR repeater is located at Mt.Vaca and has an output frequency of 147.000, with a negative offset, and a PL tone of 136.5 - Bay Area
W6CX repeater is located at Mt.Diablo and has an output frequency of 147.060, with a positive offset, and a PL tone of 100 – Bay Area.
KA7ZAU repeater is located at Mt.Peavine and has an output frequency of 146.895, a negative offset, and PL tone of 100. - Reno Nevada Area
SKWARN Radio Frequencies
Central Coast
§ 146.620 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. San Simeon. (W6SLO)
§ 146.670 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. San Luis Obispo. (W6SLO)
§ 146.730 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. San Ardo. (W6FM)
§ 146.800 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. San Luis Obispo. (W6SLO)
§ 146.835 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. Santa Margarita. (W6SLO)
§ 146.880 MHz, – offset, PL=127.3. Templeton. (KB6TAZ)
North Bay
§ 146.115 MHz, + offset, PL=127.3. Napa. (N6TKW)
§ 146.700 MHz, – offset, PL=179.9. Mill Valley. (K6GWE)
§ 146.700 MHz, – offset, PL=203.5. Novato. (K6GWE)
§ 146.700 MHz, – offset, PL=167.9. Woodacre. (K6GWE)
§ 146.730 MHz, – offset, PL=88.5. Santa Rosa. (K6ACS)
§ 146.775 MHz, – offset, PL=110.9. Mill Valley. (K6BW)
§ 146.775 MHz, – offset, PL=151.4. Point Reyes Station. (K6BW)
§ 146.775 MHz, – offset, PL=94.8. San Rafael. (K6BW)
§ 146.775 MHz, – offset, PL=103.5. Kelseyville. (N1PPP)
§ 146.820 MHz, – offset, PL=100. Napa (repeater located on Sugarloaf). (W6BYS)
§ 146.820 MHz, – offset, PL=151.4. Napa (repeater located on Mt Saint Helena). (W6BYS)
§ 146.910 MHz, – offset, PL=88.5. Petaluma. (WB6TMS)
§ 147.180 MHz, + offset, PL=100. Napa (repeater located on Sugarloaf). (W6CO)
§ 147.180 MHz, + offset, PL=151.4. Napa (repeater located on Mt Saint Helena). (W6CO)
§ 147.330 MHz, + offset, PL=192.8. Mill Valley. (K6GWE)
Northern California / Sacramento Area
NorCal Skywarn Net: 145.190 MHz (− offset, 162.2 Hz PL) – linked to 224.400 MHz.
Mt. Vaca (Bay Area/Region): 147.000 MHz (− offset, 136.5 Hz PL).
Mt. Diablo: 147.060 MHz (+ offset, 100.0 Hz PL). [1]
Skywarn® Amateur radio volunteers help the NWS when there are communications outages so that they can continue to receive weather reports and feed warnings and other critical information out to communities.
The National Weather Service (NWS) encourages anyone with an interest in public service to join the SKYWARN® program. Please find more information about this program at https://www.weather.gov/skywarn/.
Have a network of spotters in place to report activity and or severe weather.
To activate this network as needed per the NWS, ARES- EC or AEC
To coordinate reports from the spotters in a professional manner.
To relay the reports to the NWS in a timely manner.
Remember to always give the three most important parts of a report
TIME - Time of the occurrence.
EVENT - Event, Hell, Flooding, Funnel cloud, etc.
LOCATION - County, and the direction or distance from the nearest city.
Training
Training
SKYWARN® training is provided by National Weather Service, a subsidiary of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Sacramento AREA local public training programs available, check out the Calendar for training sessions
Training is usually ONCE , sometimes TWICE per year
Module One
Module One
The National Weather Service (NWS)
Overview and the Role of the Storm
Spotter.
Module Two
Module Two
NWS Definitions and Thunderstorms
Module Three
Module Three
Tornadoes
Module Four
Module Four
Other Types of Severe Weather
Module Five
Module Five
Reporting Severe Weather
Module Six
Module Six
Supplemental Information and Programs
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