Students earn certification in storm spotting

The Geologic Exhibition Organization Saturday hosted their first Skywarn training session for Earth Science Week.

According to the Skywarn training website, "the effects of severe weather are felt every year by many Americans" and skywarn certified spotters help warn communities of severe weather.

Martin Diaz, physics major, led the training session. The event was a 2-hour long training for a certification in storm spotting, storm safety, and storm reporting to the national weather service, Diaz said.

"The certification usually lasts for about a year, and of course from that time on they are free to report to the weather service when there is bad weather [or] severe weather," Diaz said. "Also, we are trying to make it where the GEO will actually send some spotters out there when bad weather does come to San Angelo and surrounding areas," Diaz said.

Six ASU students participated in the Skywarn training, including GEO, GEO president Rebecca Loos said.

"I really enjoyed the training session," Loos said. "Not only did the participants learn about how to read the predictions for severe weather, but we learned about how to read the

clouds and sky."

This was the first time the group organized Earth Science Week, Loos said. He said they hope to continue to hold Skywarn training sessions for additional times.

"It is my hope that we can have our own official Skywarn group at the university and be that much more involved with the community," Loos said.

The students who participated in the training are now certified to be active storm spotters in the local area and can help the community by reporting oncoming severe storms.

"I do intend to use my training as a spotter and hopefully get the chance to relay on-ground data back to the National Weather Service," Loos said.

The training consisted of a presentation including some training video and practicing looking at radar images and trying to see whether it was severe weather, bad weather and what would be the appropriate action,

Diaz said.