The National Weather Service needs volunteers to provide severe weather reports and will offer free storm spotter training in Hermiston on May 19.
Spotters relay their reports to the weather service as they see it. This information is used by forecasters to track storms and alert the public to dangerous weather situations. According to the National Weather Service, reports from trained weather spotters have saved countless lives, especially during heavy rain, thunderstorms and wind storms.
The free training session will be held at 6:30 p.m. at the Stafford Hansell Government Center. The course is informal and is expected to last about two hours. It will include information about the National Weather Service, tornadoes, thunderstorms, flash floods, dust storms, high winds and winter storms. Students who complete the course will receive a training certificate.
The session is sponsored by Umatilla County Emergency Management. For more information, contact Dennis Hull at (541) 276-7832, ext. 223.
