WECT Member and Northbridge / Whitinsville RACES Officer Rick Roberts KB1SIL is inviting the amateur radio community and general public to attend SKYWARN Training on Tuesday May 21, 2013 from 7:00 PM to approximately 10:00 PM. It will be held at Alternatives, 50 Douglas Road in Whitinsville.

The session is open to the public at no charge. Amateur Radio Operators, Emergency managers, police, fire, and other first responders are encouraged to attend. Everyone age 16 and older who stays to complete the training will be able to become trained NWS weather spotters.

The training session includes a two-hour thirty-minute computer-based presentation, which discusses the development of thunderstorms, the criteria for "severe" thunderstorms, as well as the cloud features associated with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Additional information will be presented about winter storms and proper snow measurement and reporting of river, stream, and urban flooding and rainfall measurements. The session will also present the procedure for reporting weather information to the National Weather Service. Safety procedures for the various forms of summer severe weather (severe thunderstorms, tornado and lightning), winter storms, and flooding will also be covered in the training session. Anyone attending should bring a pen or pencil and bringing a notebook is optional.