The SKYWARN^TM Program is a cooperative effort involving the National Weather Service (NWS) and trained volunteer weather spotters who provide the National Weather Service with crucial reports of severe weather throughout the year. Spotters relay their reports either by telephone, internet or amateur radio to the Weather Forecasting Office as they see it. This information is then used by National Weather Service forecasters to track storms and alert the public to dangerous weather situations. Time and time again, reports from trained weather spotters have been credited with saving countless lives, especially during heavy rain, thunderstorms and wind storms.

SKYWARN^TM members can include private citizens, amateur radio operators, firefighters, law enforcement officials, and other government officials. SKYWARN^TM volunteers support their local community and government by providing the National Weather Service (NWS) with timely and accurate severe weather reports. These reports, when integrated with modern National Weather Service technology, are used to issue timely and accurate warnings of impending dangerous and life threatening weather conditions. This helps provide their communities with advance warning of impending hazardous weather.

SKYWARN^TM amateur radio operators use amateur radio repeater networks in order to communicate with each other during severe storms. In some areas, such as Yakima County, very complex radio repeater networks are used in order to cover a large geographic area.

Interested in becoming an official Skywarn^TM Weather Spotter for the NWS?  Here is how you can get involved:

If you are an amateur radio operator, you can tune into any Pendleton Skywarn^TM Net. The Skywarn^TM Net is activated during any major storm and always activated when a severe storm watch or warning is issued by the National Weather Service. To find out if the Net has been activated for your area, simply tune to the Net Frequency and listen for the Net Control Station. You do not have to be an official spotter to take part in the on-air Nets, however we do encourage those interested in weather spotting to participate in the Skywarn^TM Spotter Training Classes held annually around the region.

If you are not an amateur radio operator, you can still get in on the action! If you want to listen in, you can tune into the Net Frequency using a shortwave radio or scanner radio. You will be able to hear everything that goes on during the Net. If you have a report of a severe weather event, you should contact the National Weather Service or your local authorities immediately! Local authorities can relay your severe weather report to the National Weather Service for you if you cannot contact them directly. Official weather spotters may use the unlisted toll-free number that is supplied to you in your spotter's information packet.

If you are interested in becoming an official Severe Storm Spotter with SKYWARN^TM, more information is available from the National Weather Service in Pendleton by visiting their Spotter Information webpage and clicking on the link entitled "Spotter Training".  Beginning in February or March of each year, the "Spotter Training" webpage will be updated with the annual schedule of SKYWARN^TM Weather Spotter Training Classes held in NWS Pendleton's County Warning Area.  For a map showing areas where new spotters are needed the most, click on the link "Spotters Needed!".  Links to NWS Pendleton's spotter newsletters are also available on the Spotter Information webpage.  You can give their office a call at 541-276-7832 / Extension #223.

Want to get involved in Amateur Radio and be a part of on-air Skywarn^TM Nets? for more information on how to become an amateur radio operator and join in the fun! We will help you get in touch with a local radio club in your area that can get you started on your way to becoming an ham radio operator!