SKYWARN Recognition Day

5 pm MST Friday, December 2, 2017 to 5 pm MST Saturday, December 3, 2017

CQ! CQ! Calling all amateur radio operators! SKYWARN™ Recognition Day is just around the corner on December 2, 2017! If you are an amateur radio operator, we invite you to jump on the bands and try to contact one of our 122 participating Weather Forecast Offices across the nation. Dating back to 1999, SKYWARN Recognition Day has been a great partnership between the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League. SKYWARN Recognition day began as a means to acknowledge the valuable contributions that SKYWARN volunteers make to the NWS mission, the protection of life and property.

Many volunteer SKYWARN storm spotters are also Amateur radio operators, offering real-time updates and ground truth observations to NWS forecasters. These reports are a vital aide to NWS operations, helping forecasters better assess current conditions and verify warnings during times of severe weather. Even in this day and age, technology is not foolproof, and should normal communications become inoperative, the amateur radio community would be the first to step up, providing a crucial communication link between the NWS, first responders, and emergency management. SKYWARN Recognition Day will run from 5 pm MST on Friday, December 2nd to 5 pm MST on Saturday, December 3rd. During this SKYWARN Special Event, the Albuquerque Weather Forecast Office will be monitoring the bands and contacting other radio operators across the nation in hopes of acknowledging the dedicated efforts of our SKYWARN spotters. Listen for our call sign, WX5ABQ, and we hope to hear you on the bands! Also, if you would like to assist us and work the radios at our office, feel free to RSVP at (888)386-7637 or via email at sr-abq.webmaster@noaa.gov