SkyWarn Spotter Training

I signed up to do SkyWarn Spotter training through the National Weather Service several months ago. The first available training was during my GDMBR trip. However, another training was available today. I have always had an amateur level of interest in the weather; especially if I am out in it.

Today's SkyWarn Spotter training focused on severe thunderstorms, lightning, flooding, and tornadoes. Even though it was classified as an introductory to intermediate level of training on these specific topics, I learned a lot of useful information that I can use wherever I am - at home or in the field.

I almost always listen to the local NOAA weather station to make my riding decisions. Overall it is the most accurate and useful weather related information available. It was fun to meet the persons behind the voices on the radio.

It is amazing how much some training can increase your level of awareness. On my way home from the training I could not help but notice the types of clouds and the impending garden variety thunderstorm. I arrived home just in time to shut down the swamp cooler on the roof (a lightning attractor) and secure the sunshade curtains on the back deck.

We have not had much rain this year, so every drop of moisture is welcome. I did not think we got all that much rain, but my wife told me that we filled several 60 gallon rain barrels.

As the Tour Divide and GDR racers head for New Mexico, it looks like some of them may get a quick course in flash flooding and severe thunderstorms. The bottom line is: MUD! Sticky, icky, wheel-stopping, drive train as well as bearing destroying MUD!!! I hope I am wrong, but it looks like our annual "monsoon season" might be arriving a little early this year.

If you are interested in learning more about weather, then you may want to look at Jetstream. It is a free online weather school sponsored by the National Weather Service (NSW). If you want online access to information from a NWS Forecast Office, then click here, and then type in a city or zip code in the box on the upper left. If you want to analyze the data yourself, then try downloading your own gridded data from the Digitial Forecast Database. Enjoy!