Weather Spotters

With the recent concern about when the outdoor tornado sirens are sounded, the News-Gazette highlighted aspects of the local weather spotting programs. The (now updated) protocols are meant to make sure people heed the warnings and avoid "crying wolf" scenario: where an abundance of caution leads to regular warnings where nothing materializes and people ignoring the warnings when the danger actually materializes. From yesterday's News-Gazette:

Spotting trouble: Volunteers carry a heavy load when weather turns severe
...
Like Pesotum, other Champaign County towns outside C-U make their own calls of when to activate severe-weather sirens, though officials rely on weather spotter reports, NWS data and the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency.

"You take that information ... and decide whether to set off the tornado siren," [EMA/ESDA coordinator and weather spotter for Pesotum Robert] Russian said....

It's strictly volunteer work, but around here, there's no shortage of people signing up to watch for severe weather.

In March, more than 100 attended a training session at Parkland College. Director John Dwyer says the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency has trained volunteer spotters across the county, about 38 people, on top of the groups of spotters in individual towns, like Pesotum's.

During the June 10 storm that damaged property on Champaign's west side, Dwyer said about 15 volunteer monitors were reporting what they saw.

"It's a good core group of folks who are very vigilant," Dwyer said. "The public has no idea how many folks are dedicated to doing what they can for public safety. It's a whole big, collaborative system that's trying to do what's best for the public in a situation that could be very fast ... fast developing."

Just as NWS radar can't pick up everything, weather spotters can't be everywhere, making collaboration crucial. The county's 80-plus warning sirens — intended to alert people outdoors to get inside — shouldn't be activated unless a tornado is either confirmed or highly probable to develop, officials say...

If Hilberg could offer one piece of advice to everyone in the area, it would be this: Just as every home should have a smoke detector, it would be wise to invest in a weather radio. They're available for as little as $30.

Do not rely only your cellphone, he cautioned. 

A lot more information about tornadoes, weather spotters and spotting, as well as warning technology and protocols at the full article. Parkland's 2018 Weather Spotting Training video is on-line at the college's YouTube channel. More information about the Champaign County Emergency Management Agency is available here at their website.