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The United States has some of the most variable weather in the world and Southwestern Ohio gets its share. According to the National Weather Services Wilmington office website2006 saw the highest number of confirmed tornadoes in many years for the Wilmington warning area.
At least 17 tornado touchdowns were reported across parts of western, southwestern and central Ohio, including in the Dayton metropolitan area. Most of these tornadoes were weak, though there were two instances of F2 damage. On July 11, eight tornadoes touched down across Ohio including two F1 tornadoes, one in Carlisle and another near the Dayton Mall in Miami Township.
The NWS relies on storm spotter reports to provide information not available for weather radar such as hail reports and storm damage. As the Wilmington web site notes:
Spotters got the word out!
As you may remember, radar cannot tell a meteorologist if a tornado is on the ground. This is where you come in! The National Weather Service in Wilmington received dozens of real-time funnel cloud and tornado reports during the 2006 season. These reports led to improved warning time, and gave people the heads up they needed protect themselves and their property. Thank you spotters for helping us continue our mission!
Most GCARES members have been to a Skywarn class. If you missed this class presented by Greene County Emergency Management Agency (GCEMA) and meteorologists from the National Weather Service Wilmington Forecast Office, check out opportunities in surrounding counties at the Wilmington NWS 2007 Skywarn Training Schedule posted at: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/iln/training.htm.
Trained volunteer spotters assist their local communities by providing the NWS with on-the-scene accurate weather reports. The NWS integrates those reports with Doppler Radar signatures, satellite, and other data, to determine when to issue weather warnings and advisories. Those warnings can save lives and protect property.
The NWS website notes that volunteers are essential if NWS feels that something suspicious is happening in their area. The easy way to become an official NWS spotter is to attend a training session. It is about a 2 hour slide and video presentation about how to identify and report significant weather. It's also a chance to meet other weather spotters.
For more information check out the spotter page on the NWS Wilminigton web site. It has a wealth of information.