ITHACA, NY (607NewsNow) — Cayuga Health will host a Basic SKYWARN Spotter Course on Thursday, April 24th, from 6:30 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Cayuga Medical Center.

This free course is designed to train individuals on how to identify and report severe weather conditions to the National Weather Service (NWS) and local emergency management agencies. Participants will learn about the structure and hazards of various severe weather types including thunderstorms, tornadoes, hail, lightning, and flooding. The session will also cover how the NWS gathers information to issue warnings, how spotters can support their community, and how to stay safe during severe weather events.

The training is open to everyone, with no age or experience requirements. Anyone with an interest in weather or emergency preparedness is encouraged to attend. Attendees should use the main entrance and follow posted signs to the event location.

For those looking to expand their knowledge, Ithaca College will offer an Advanced SKYWARN class on Tuesday, May 13th, from 6:30 to 8:00 p.m. in the Ithaca Falls Room at the Campus Center. This session will delve deeper into radar principles and the assessment process used in NWS Storm Surveys. While taking the basic course beforehand is recommended, it is not required.

To register or learn more, visit https://weather.gov/bgm/outreachSKYWARNtraining. For questions, contact Mitchell Gaines at Mitchell.Gaines@noaa.gov or call 607-798-6620.