By Natalie Bazinet
Staff Writer
Though technological advancements have allowed the scope of science to expand exponentially, there’s still nothing like first-hand experiences to corroborate what machines and programs are indicating.
That’s why officials at the National Weather Service Office in Caribou are looking for community members all over Aroostook County to participate in their Skywarn Weather Spotter program.
A little bit of volunteers’ time can make a big difference for meteorologists, as they can never have too many reports during a significant weather event. Weather Service officials rely on Skywarn Weather Spotters to provide reports on what’s actually happening on the ground — what’s called “ground truth” for meteorologists.
“Radar is good, but there’s nothing like getting spotter report for ground truth,” said Meteorologist Tim Duda.
Thunderstorms, strong winds and damages they inflict, hail events and, of course, snowfall in the winter are all significant weather events Skywarn Weather Spotters are asked to relay data about. Amateur radio operators are highly sought for the program, as are individuals willing to take photos during weather events.
There will be three free Skywarn Weather Spotter training dates in Aroostook County; each session is free of charge and pre-registration is not required.
“If you’re interested in becoming one of our volunteer weather spotters, please contact us or plan on attending one of our training sessions,” Caribou NWS officials said.
Training events will take place at the following locations:
• Houlton Fire Station at 6:30 p.m. on Monday, May 21,
• Fort Kent Fire Station at 6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, May 23, and
• Presque Isle Fire Station: 6:30 p.m. on Monday, June 4.
Additional information regarding the Skywarn Weather Spotter program can be found by visiting http://www.erh.noaa.gov/car/Outreach_Spotters.
