National Weather Service searches for Storm Spotters

MARQUETTE — While some organizations are looking for a few good men, the national weather services is looking for thousands of good people to be storm spotters.

The National Weather Service Marquette held an informational meeting Wednesday for those interested in learning more about being a storm spotter. No special skills or training is required, just an alertness to active weather in your area.

“Any time somebody sees something very unusual or interesting from a weather perspective, we typically want to hear about it at the National Weather Service. We take the information from those storm reports and use it in our decision–making process as to whether or not we have to issue weather warnings in parts of the U.P. People are more apt to respond to weather warnings when they hear storms have already produced some sort of damage somewhere across the U.P., so that is why those reports are so vital.” said Matt Zika, NWS Meteorologist

Weather service officials say today’s technology is a great aid and benefit in the accuracy and being able to immediately relay information.

“Years ago we never had that capability, to where we could just put a quick call out and then all of a sudden we’re flooded with reports around the U.P. Nowadays, it’s just as simple as either tweeting something or putting it on Facebook, asking for information around the U.P., and immediately we’re getting reports from places that we never used to before, and it’s really enhanced our forecast and warning processes at the Weather Service,” said Zika.

If you weren’t able to attend the meeting you can still work with the NWS and be a storm spotter. Just give them a call at (906)-475–5212. You can also send them an email or visit their website.