WARM SEASON CRITERIA (SUMMER)

SKYWARN will be automatically activated during the warm season following our NOAA Weather Radio tone alerts for:

1. Flood Watches
2. Flood Warnings (If not activated for the Watch)
3. Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Watches
4. Severe Thunderstorm and Tornado Warnings (If not activated for the Watch)
5. Tropical Storm and Hurricane Warnings

1. Highest Priority/Life Threatening Criteria.

Please contact the National Weather Service FIRST by phone or radio. If you have problems contacting us directly, contact your Network Controller (radio operators) or other Regional Network Coordinators.

• a. Any deaths or injuries associated with hazardous weather.
• b. Tornado or Waterspout.

2. Other High Priority/Life Threatening Criteria.

Please contact your Network Controller or other Regional Network Coordinator FIRST. If you have problems reaching them, contact us by phone or radio (if an operator is at the station).

1. Thunderstorms accompanied by wind gusts of 58 mph or greater.
2. Any thunderstorm wind gusts which produce structural damage to houses, power lines, or whole trees.
3. Funnel or wall clouds.
4. Hail 3/4 inch in diameter (about the size of a penny) or greater.
5. Flooding of rivers or streams into homes or industries. Also stream, river, or poor drainage urban flooding which make roadways totally impassable.

Report:

• Following a short (less than 1 hour) torrential downpour (e.g., 0.7 inches in 15 minutes, 1.2 inches in 20 minutes)
• Two inches in 3 hours.

3. Other Priority Items.

Please contact your Net Controller or Regional Coordinator FIRST. If you have no success, contact your local National Weather Service Office.

1. Thunderstorm wind gusts between 40 and 57 mph. This would be strong enough to down tree limbs.
2. Hail of any size less than 3/4 inch in diameter.
3. Event total rainfall
4. Rises of streams or rivers to bank full conditions

During Tropical Storm or Hurricane Warnings please report only Priority I and II Criteria Conditions. Report any wind gusts greater than or equal to 58 mph whether or not a thunderstorm is in progress.

Also report:

1. Any KNOWN storm surge inundations of coastal areas. Never go to the shore to investigate it yourself and EVACUATE immediately if told to do so by Emergency Management Personnel.
2. The highest wind gust during the tropical storm/hurricane.
3. The lowest barometric pressure and time it occurred.
4. Event total rainfall

Please include the following items in all your SKYWARN reports:

1. Where you observed it. (Town and County names please!)
2. When you observed it.
3. What you have observed.
4. Your name.

REMEMBER

NEVER place yourself in any danger when reporting Severe Weather!