Area residences get insight on weather spotting.

The Covington County EMA Office hosted a SkyWarn Basic Weather Spotter class at the county administration building on March 26, 2019. The Mobile Office of the National Weather Service, represented by meteorologist Morgan Barry, conducted the class for local citizens as well as some from surrounding counties and into Florida.

The class covered the different aspects of what the National Weather Service provides, what is expected from a spotter and how to relay the information obtained.

Ms. Barry emphasized the importance of safety over information as well as why it is important to have multiple ways to get personal weather warnings to stay safe. She reminded everyone that it is important that the NWS gather information from those in the area of a storm but not at the cost of safety.

Other areas that were covered had to do with the development of storms, the different kinds of cloud formations, the three main types of tornados and their classifications including their destructive nature. The class covered floods, flash floods, winds, and lightning and even touched on the dangers of snowfall to the southeast.

Overall the class was such a success, most if not all the attendees elected to return for the advanced class that dives to deeper depths of the SkyWarn initiative.

“The Covington County Emergency Management Agency would like to thank the Mobile Office of The National Weather Service for providing this class to our local residence and we would also like to thank all the participants for coming,” Assistant EMA Director Frank Shaffer said. “We are in the planning stages of scheduling the advanced class and will push out the location, date, and time when it gets finalized.”

For information, contact the EMA office at 334.428.2670 or by email at ema@covcounty.com.