Jump to content
  • Member Statistics

    17,587
    Total Members
    7,904
    Most Online
    LopezElliana
    Newest Member
    LopezElliana
    Joined

Eskimo Joe

Recommended Posts

I see absolutely no reason that Basics I & II couldn't be an online course. Granted good video clips were used, and it was done right. I suspect some regional changes would have to be made, but the content and lessons are pretty universal. Reporting requirements and methods are the same throughout the country.

Let's face it, online is everything these days, from healthcare courses, to the law degrees courses. Frankly, online courses would eliminate a lot of miss information and also bring much better content and samples to be used.

Time to modernize. It certainly would help get people in this area the classes/training done and with minimal cost and commitment to the already strained NWS offices.

I agree with this, especially given the budgetary constraints the NWS is currently facing. But the topics courses (ie: Flooding, Winter Storms, Net Control), should still be viewed as outreach within the community. Also in some counties, such as Carroll, not everyone has access to reliable Internet so talks in the community still have a place.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 152
  • Created
  • Last Reply

The Basics 1 class is being offered during the NWS Open House in Sterling this Saturday and Sunday.

From another site:

This course is a prerequisite for all other courses. Basics I is a good general overview of severe weather for the general public. Upon completion of the course, you will be registered in the program by the NWS. You will receive a spotter code from the NWS within 6 weeks.

Training in Basics I includes:

The basic organization of the National Weather Service

  • The role and importance f the Skywarn spotter
  • NWS Products and the Watch/Warning/Advisory system
  • Thunderstorms
  • Thunderstorm threats:
  • Lightning
  • Flooding
  • Hail
  • Tornadoes
  • Downbursts
  • How to report vital inf t the NWS
  • The role of amateur short-wave (HAM) radio in the Spotter Program

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • 2 weeks later...
  • 4 weeks later...

Just finished the Winter Storms Skywarn class in Williamsport. Really enjoyed it. A lot of focus on the '09-'10 season.

I sat next to a kid, maybe 9-10 years old, who made his father bring him. The boy was great to talk to. He knew the location and amount of the Md. state snowfall record, and understood the effects of upslope and downsloping as it pertains to our region's snowfall climo. I was pretty impressed.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Went to the PG county winter storm class yesterday at College Park.

It was pretty basic stuff for the most part that most of us know, but still a lot of fun and I really enjoyed it. They gave us free pizza and drinks, and I got to meet some people and talk about my favorite storms (one of the kids works for Foot's forecast :lol: ).

Like WVclimo's class, they did talk a lot about 09-10 which made it even better, and showed some awesome footage of the Feb 10 blizzard, like it was a textbook example of what a blizzard is.

Totally worth it IMO.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.

  • Recently Browsing   0 members

    • No registered users viewing this page.

×
×
  • Create New...