ABC 33/40 E-Forecast - Reminder!

People often ask how they can become one of our Skywatchers; my response is that you have to love weather, have a computer and a camera, and be willing to be trained. We do that training only once a year, and this year's Storm Alert Xtreme is less than one month away. We will be at the Birmingham-Jefferson Civic Center on this Saturday, November 14; we will begin at 9:30, and wrap up by 2:30. There is no admission charge, and everybody that comes for training gets free admission to the Alabama International Auto Show, which is going on at the same venue.

Our own Brian Peters, long time Warning-Coordination Meteorologist for the Birmingham National Weather Service office, will do the training. The morning session will be the basic class, followed by the advanced class after lunch. I will be there as well, and we encourage all existing Skywatchers to attend for their annual refresher course. I have been a professional meteorologist for over 30 years, and I always learn something new when Brian teaches. He really does a wonderful job.

In addition to those who want to join our team of Skywatchers, this is also a wonderful training opportunity for first responders, utility workers, EMA (emergency management agency) staff members, and students interested in meteorology. Everybody who attends will gain admission into our Skywatcher IM chat session, meaning we see your reports in real time during active and severe weather events. We currently have over 500 active Skywatchers on our roster, and are looking for more. We are especially interested in new Skywatchers in rural areas of Alabama where severe weather reports are hard to find. Radar is a wonderful tool, but the beam gets higher off the ground as it gets farther away from the radar site, and trained eyes are crucial to accurate warnings.

We have had wonderful crowds in recent years, and we expect a bigger group this year. So, if you are a Skywatcher now, or want to be one, we will see you on Saturday, November 14 at the BJCC at 9:30. No need to register, just show up. Look for the signs that will be placed around the site for directions!

James Spann
ABC 33/40 Chief Meteorologist

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