National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

 

NWS Juneau is looking for volunteer weather spotters in Southeast Alaska

 

Volunteer weather spotters are able to help their community and surrounding communities by reporting significant weather to the NWS. A weather spotter provides reports to us by phone, internet, email, or social media. There may be times where we will call you in the event that something unexpected is happening in your area or to ask further questions on a report that you already gave to us.

To become an official NWS spotter, take our free online training or attend an in-person training, which can be coordinated for your group. In person training sessions are held a few times per year and announced on this page and on social media. The spotter training covers how to make and send a spotter report, and provides spotters with a common "weather language" to identify and describe different weather events. It is important that each spotter describes the same weather in the same way. This allows the NWS to incorporate your reports directly into their forecasting and warning system.

The online training consists of reviewing the posted training materials and filling out a sign-up form. The in-person training is a one hour presentation, with additional time for questions.  It is recommended to review the training every two years.

What happens after I fill out the spotter signup form? We will contact you via phone or email with your official Spotter Number based on where you live.


Additional Information:

**If you move away or no longer wish to be a spotter, please let us know by phone or email and we will take you off our list.**

Reporting Hazardous Weather

Reporting hazardous weather (all year) is essential! Remember that each report, regardless of the method, must include the time and location of the event.

When to report: Whenever you see weather that is, or potentially is, damaging or hazardous! Reporting when the forecast is off is also extremely helpful in locations with few automated stations.

Why spotter reports are important: The key element of the mission of the National Weather Service is to issue weather-related warnings for the protection of life and property. So, volunteer storm spotters help us achieve this goal by giving us the information on hazardous weather as it's occurring.


How To Submit A Report: 

Website: Click the Storm Report tile under the map and hit Submit a Weather Report.

Email: juneau.weather@noaa.gov - A great way to share pictures and/or video with us!

Telephone: 1-877-807-8943 - Be sure to have your spotter number ready so that we can identify who you are!

Facebook: Visit the NWS Juneau Facebook page and post your weather report to our wall.

Twitter: Send Twitter reports to the National Weather Service by including the #akwx hashtag or send them directly to @NWSJuneau.


What To Report:

With any report, please include your Spotter # (for existing spotters only) or who you are (public, law enforcement, etc.), location, the time of the event, and what occurred. 

 


 

 

 

Winter Weather

  • Heavy Snowfall
    • Measure or estimate accumulation of 4" or greater in 12 hours or less

      • Clear a flat area before snowfall begins for measuring (otherwise take multiple measurements and get an average if possible).

    • Damage or impacts such as power outages, snapped tree limbs, cars off the road, etc.

  • Freezing Rain or Freezing Drizzle
    • Estimate the amount of ice accumulation (any) on the road or other surfaces in fractions of an inch.
    • Damage or impacts such as downed power lines, snapped tree limbs, cars off the road, etc.
  • Low Visibility in Snow
    • Near-Blizzard: Visibility 1/4 to 1/2 mile with winds 25 mph or stronger.
    • Blizzard: Visibility less than 1/4 mile with winds 35 mph or stronger.

 

 

 

Heavy Rain and Flooding

  • Heavy Rain
    • How much rain fell and how quickly
    • 0.50" in 1 hour, 0.75" in 3 hours, or 1.00" in 6 hours
  • Flooding (swollen rivers due to rain, snow-melt, ice jam blockage, or Coastal Flooding)
    • Let us know if you observe any of the following:
      • Roads impassable due to high water
      • Streams or rivers overflowing their banks, any occurring or potential property damage?
      • Depth of the water (estimate and use references such as cars or buildings if needed)
      • Mudslides: Are roads fully or partially blocked? Any property destroyed or damaged?
      • Coastal Flooding: Any erosion? Is it impacting structures? How high up is the water?

 

 

 

 

Strong and Damaging Winds

  • Strongest wind speed (estimated or measured). Use the reference guide to the left to help.
  • Any degree of damage to trees, power lines, and structures.
  • Trees: diameter of limbs snapped off and health of tree (old or rotten?).

 

 

 

 

 

 

Hail

  • Severe Hail (diameter greater than 1") is uncommon in Southeast Alaska.
  • Report the diameter of the largest hail stone (estimated or measured) and the average hail size. Use the image below as a guide.
  • DO NOT report marble-sized hail!!!! Marbles vary widely in size.

 

 

 

 

 

Tornadoes, Waterspouts, Funnels and Wall Clouds

 

  • Funnels and Wall Clouds
    • Rare in Southeast Alaska
    • Wall cloud: is it rotating?
    • Funnel Cloud: How far down to the ground does it extend?
    • Visible rotation with the funnel?
  • Tornadoes
    • Extremely rare and weak in Southeast Alaska
    • Occur with thunderstorms
    • If you do observe one, let us know:
      • Distance and direction the tornado is from your location.
      • Any observed damage or injuries?
      • Is Tornado roping out or becoming stronger?
  • Waterspouts
    • ​Relatively weak tornado over the water
    • Dangerous to mariners
    • Can cause damage if they move on to land
    • Can occur with thunderstorms or in "fair" weather and cold air outbreaks

 

 

 

 

     

2024 Spotter Training Schedule

 

Town Date Time

Location

Pelican

May 25

1pm

Community Center

Angoon June 25 12pm ACA Conference Room

Email nicole.ferrin@noaa.gov to suggest your community!

 

 

Want to become a weather spotter but don't see your town listed?

You are welcome to review our training online and submit this form.

??          NWS Juneau Storm Spotter Q&A          ??

 

What is a storm spotter?

NWS Juneau storm spotters are critical eyes-on-the-ground volunteers who identify and report severe weather to the NWS. In Alaska, this mainly consists of reporting high winds, snowfall totals or the presence for freezing rain and ice accumulation. However, we encourage storm spotters to report any weather that is impacting their community.

Why are storm spotters needed?

Spotters provide verification of severe weather occurring in their area. Due to the limited radar coverage in Southeast Alaska, our spotter reports are often the only way of confirming what is going on at the surface. We use our spotter reports to aid in the forecasting and warning process to make sure we are putting out the most accurate and up-to-date forecasts and weather advisories as possible. We also use the reports to inform the public through the media of any significant weather.

Will I get paid to be a spotter?

You will not get paid to be a spotter. All of our spotters are volunteers.

Will I need to buy any equipment?

No. It is not necessary to have weather instruments to be a spotter. Snowboards, snow sticks, and rain gauges are helpful when reporting snowfall and rainfall measurements.

What is the difference between a spotter and a Cooperative Observer?

Cooperative observers submit weather information such as temperature and precipitation on a daily basis, while spotters only report severe weather on an as-needed basis.

How is my information on the storm spotter registration form used?

All information provided on the storm spotter registration form will never be released and remains internal to the NWS. All spotter reports received will only be identified by spotter ID.

What if I move?

If you move out of Southeast Alaska, we will remove your name from our storm spotter list and refer you to the nearest National Weather Service office at your new location. If you move, but remain within Southeast Alaska and still want to be a spotter, then contact us with your updated information.

Additional Questions?

Contact our office at Juneau.weather@noaa.gov