The National Weather Service will be teaching a SKYWARN Class: Basics I Class on Thursday, Feb. 27, from 6-9 p.m. The class will be held at the Shepherdstown Fire Department located at 8052 Martinsburg Pike, Shepherdstown. This class is free and open to the public.

The SKYWARN classes are designed to educate the public on weather threats in this area, as well as strengthen the ties between the National Weather Service and the local community. The more spotters the National Weather Service has out there, the faster vital ground truth information gets to the National Weather Service forecasters who make the decisions to issue life saving weather warnings.

This course is a prerequisite for all other SKYWARN courses. Basics I is a good overview of severe weather for the general public. Upon completion of the course, one will be registered in the program by the National Weather Service. You will also receive a spotter code from the National Weather Service within six weeks. Training in Basics I includes the basic organization of the National Weather Service;

the role and importance of the Skywarn spotter; NWS Products and the Watch/Warning/Advisory system; and thunderstorms

Thunderstorm threats covered are lightning, flooding, hail, tornadoes and downbursts

The Training in Basics further covers how to report vital info to the NWS and the role of amateur short-wave (HAM) radio in the Spotter Program.

Attendees must pre-register for the course. Please contact Terri Mehling, Deputy Director, Jefferson County, WV Homeland Security & Emergency Management at (304) 728-3329 or by email to tmehling@jeffersoncountywv.org.