Severe Weather Spotters
Reporting Procedures
- Identify yourself as a spotter
- Call National Weather Service Spotter Hotline
- Call Emergency services (if life threatening)
- Provide:
-Your name
-Where the event is/was occurring
-Description of the event
-Time observed
-Storm movement
WEATHER EVENTS TO REPORT
- WINDS
-WINDS 40 MPH OR GREATER
-ANY WIND DAMAGE (TREES, POWER LINES DOWN, ROOF OR WINDOW DAMAGE...)
-FUNNEL CLOUD OR TORNADO
-ROTATING WALL CLOUD
- HAIL - ANY SIZE
Hail Size Estimates
Pea (0.25")
Penny (0.75")
Quarter (1.00")
Half Dollar (1.25")
Golf Ball (1.75")
Tennis Ball (2.50")
Baseball (2.75")
Grapefruit (4.00")
Don't report hail as marble size...marbles come in too many different sizes.
Wind Speed Estimates
25-31 mph - Large branches in motion; whistling in telephone wires
32-38 mph - Whole trees in motion
39-54 mph - Twigs break off trees; wind impedes walking
55-72 mph - Damage to chimneys and TV antennas; shallow rooted trees pushed over
73-112 mph - Roofing peeled off; mobile homes overturned
>113 mph - Roofs torn off houses; weak buildings and mobile homes destroyed; large tees uprooted.
Hydrologic Events to Report
- RISING WATER -Rapid rise to within a foot of bankfull
- WATER OVER BANKFULL
-River over bankfull
-Water over road
- THREATENING SITUATION - Any river situation you consider currently or likely to become a threat to life or property
Additional Hydro Reporting Procedures
- -Name of stream or river and location of problem area.
- -Water level relative to bankfull.
- -Trend (e.g., rising, falling, steady).
- -Cause if known (e.g., ice jam, dam break).
- -Degree of threat.
REMINDER’S OF OTHER WEATHER TO REPORT
- -HEAVY RAIN...1/2 INCH OR MORE
- -ANY FREEZING RAIN
- SNOWFALL REPORTING INTERVALS:
-FIRST 4 INCHES (APPROACHING ADVISORY CRITERIA)
-7 INCHES (WARNING CRITERIA)
-12 INCHES & EVERY 6 INCHES THERE AFTER
- -WHEN EVENT IS OVER CALL UP WITH A TOTAL FOR AMOUNTS OF 4 INCHES OR GREATER
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