Footage from a rolling vortex (including the mean, green cloud color indicative of an approaching tornado) that flew over the south side of Idaho Falls in 2017. Video: Steve Smede / Idaho Falls Magazine
Heads up, weather enthusiasts: Coming up is a unique opportunity to become a bonafide weather spotter!
The National Weather Service is coming to eastern Idaho this month to offer an informative session about weather spotting. The event also includes the proper training needed to become an official NWS spotter.
Training includes definitions and climatology of severe weather, cloud and storm recognition, storm hazards and safety tips, weather reporting procedures, and a review of past severe weather events. The training is free and everyone in the community is invited.
When: Thurs., April 25, 7 to 8:30 p.m.
Where: Jefferson County Courthouse, Rigby
Who: Alex DeSmet, Meteorologist, Pocatello National Weather Service
Across eastern Idaho, over 850 volunteer weather spotters and cooperative observers have provided valuable weather reports which are fundamental in helping the NWS to protect life and property. Forecasts are often based on observer data, and warnings for severe weather have been issued based on timely, reliable information received from trained volunteer spotters.
Everyone is invited to this training session. If you are a current weather spotter, firefighter, law enforcement specialist, land management employee, emergency services technician, transportation operator, outdoor recreationist or just purely a weather enthusiast, this training workshop is for you.
For more information about the NWS spotter program, click here. For a gallery of "storm-centric" entries from our 2019 East Idaho Community Photo Contest, click the image below: