National Weather Services gathers crowd for storm spotter training

MARQUETTE — Summer is just around the corner and with it comes severe weather. And if you happen to capture it on camera, you might be able to put it to good use.

The National Weather Service (NWS) held their first storm spotter training session Wednesday evening at the Peter White Public Library in Marquette. NWS meteorologists are touring the U.P. to detail signs of approaching severe weather, how to relay that back to the station and explain safety precautions when capturing the moment. The workshop offers no official certification, but is a great opportunity to educate the public.

“Basically we let the weather come to us up here. When something unusual happens, we want to here about it at the National Weather Service.,” said Meteorologist Matt Zika. “Folks are more apt to respond to weather warnings when they here a storm has already done something. A lot of those reports come in through storm spotters, like the folks that are out here tonight and we can relay that information and folks can then take that weather warning more seriously than as if there was no severe weather already spotted.”

Storm spotter reports are vital to help the NWS make better decisions and enhance weather warnings. If you capture the U.P.’s intense weather patterns, you can reach out to the NWS via social media channels, its website and phone apps. If you’re interested in attending a meeting, click here.