U.S. Department of Commerce
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration
National Weather Service Forecast Office
445 Myles Standish Blvd.
Taunton MA 02780

PRESS RELEASE
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE SKYWARN TRAINING

The National Weather Service (NWS) will be conducting a severe weather spotter training session, part of its SKYWARN program, in Rhode Island in May.

The class will be on Thursday May 17, 2007 from 7:00 PM.to 9:30 PM. The class will be held at SAVE THE BAY 100 Save The Bay Drive Providence RI 02905.

The session is open to the public at no charge. Emergency managers, police, fire, and other first responders are especially encouraged to attend. Everyone age 16 and older who stays to complete the training will be able to become trained NWS weather spotters.

Each training session includes a two and one half hour computer-based presentation, which discusses the development of thunderstorms, the criteria for “severe” thunderstorms, as well as the cloud features associated with severe thunderstorms and tornadoes. Additional information will be presented about winter storms and proper snow measurement. The session will also present the procedure for reporting weather information to the National Weather Service.

It is not necessary to pre-register for this training. However, if you have any questions about SKYWARN or the training sessions, please contact Bill Babcock, SKYWARN Program Leader, or Glenn Field, NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist, at

508-823-1900 during normal business hours.

This SKYWARN training session is also being sponsored by the PROVIDENCE EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT AGENCY AND OFFICE OF HOMELAND SECURITY .Todd Manni, Homeland Security Liaison, City of Providence EMA

DIRECTIONS TO SAVE THE BAY

Save The Bay is located at 100 Save The Bay Drive at Fields Point in Providence, at the far end of the Johnson and Wales Harborside Campus.

From I-95, take exit 18 ( Thurbers Ave.) and follow signs to Allens Ave. Turn right onto Allens Ave and head south towards Cranston.

Travel 1.1 miles on Allens Ave. until you reach the traffic light at Horborside Boulevard ( a shell gas station and the Johnson and Wales Harborside Campus marquees will be on your left) Turn left onto Harborside Boulevard and follow it all the way to the end, at which point you must turn right onto Save The Bay Drive, which leads directly to Save The Bay’s waterfront facility.

By Martin Mendelson n1jma

SKYWARN Coordinator for RI

401-294-5585