How to become a
certified storm spotter.
A step-by-step path through free SKYWARN training, and the modern way to file reports once you're certified.
The eyes behind every warning.
Radar tells forecasters what's rotating in the sky. Storm spotters tell them what's actually happening on the ground, the funnel touching down, the hail on the driveway, the wind snapping a tree.
That ground truth is what turns a possible warning into an issued one. SKYWARN, the National Weather Service's volunteer spotter program, is how ordinary people become a trusted part of that pipeline.
From curious to certified.
- STEP 01
Check eligibility
SKYWARN is open to anyone 18 or older (younger with a parent or guardian) in the United States. There's no meteorology background required, curiosity, reliability, and a willingness to learn are the real prerequisites.
- STEP 02
Find your local NWS office
The National Weather Service runs training through its regional Weather Forecast Offices (WFOs). Use weather.gov to look up the office responsible for your county, they schedule classes for your area.
- STEP 03
Attend free SKYWARN training
The basic SKYWARN Spotter class is about two hours and completely free. It covers cloud identification, severe weather hazards, safe reporting procedures, and what your local office needs to hear from you. In-person and online sessions are both available.
- STEP 04
Get your spotter ID
After training, your WFO issues a spotter ID. That ID is how the NWS knows a report came from a trained observer, it's the credential that turns your call from noise into signal.
- STEP 05
Report with Aviso
Traditional reporting channels are phone lines and amateur radio. Aviso is a modern alternative in development: a mobile app that structures your observation, verifies location, and is designed to route to the responsible office in seconds. Aviso is in early pilot with no NWS partnership yet.
Official program details and class schedules live on the NWS SKYWARN site at weather.gov/skywarn.
The modern reporting path.
Traditional spotter channels, phone lines, amateur radio, still work, but they weren't designed for a spotter watching a wall cloud from a cell phone.
Aviso structures the report at the source, verifies the location, and is designed to deliver it to the office responsible for that area once formal partnerships are in place. Same signal, seconds instead of minutes.
New trainees can join the pilot today, reserve a seat and get the app the day it ships.
Common questions.
- Do I need a meteorology degree?
- No. SKYWARN is built for the public. The free 2-hour class teaches everything you need.
- How much does it cost?
- Free. The NWS offers SKYWARN Spotter training at no cost, in person and online.
- How long is the class?
- About two hours. Advanced classes and refreshers are optional.
- Spotter vs. chaser?
- Spotters observe from a fixed area, usually their community. Chasers actively pursue storms across long distances. Both will be able to file reports through Aviso once the app launches.
- Do spotters get paid?
- No. SKYWARN spotters are volunteers. Aviso is also planned to be free forever for individual reporters.
- How do I file reports as a spotter?
- Phone or amateur radio today. Aviso is building a modern app designed to prepare verified reports for the responsible office once formal partnerships are in place.
Learn more about the platform on the home page.
See hazards common in your state.
Explore primary hazards, peak severe-weather season, and the NWS offices that cover each state.