WFO Tulsa Spotter Training

Storm Spotter Training 2024

We have concluded all of our spotter training across eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas for the season.

Throughout eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas, trained and dedicated individuals monitor the skies around their communities during severe weather events. These storm spotters provide first-hand severe weather reports to their local officials, and to the National Weather Service in Tulsa, which are used to make critical warning decisions.

Being a storm spotter not only means dedication but also training. Each winter and spring the Tulsa office of the National Weather Service trains members of police & fire departments, emergency management officials, and amateur radio operators on spotting techniques. Typically, the training is coordinated by a local group (such as an emergency management agency) and a NWS meteorologist serves as the guest instructor. The goal of the training is not just to recognize tornadoes, but to have some understanding of storm structure, which in turn better prepares the spotter for the extreme and unusual circumstances. Other topics covered include an update on the latest NWS technology and procedures, ideas for organizing/coordinating spotter groups, severe weather reporting, and important safety considerations.

The training is free, and all the classes listed below are open to the public. The sessions not listed as "virtual" are in-person at the specified hosting site, and do not require a pre-registration. The virtual training sessions require a preregistration. Choose the virtual session that you'd like to attend, click the registration link associated with that date's session, and complete the information requested to register.

Contact WCM Ed Calianese for any questions.

February 2024
Day	Date	County	City	Time	Location/Notes
Thursday	1
Friday	2
Saturday	3
Sunday	4
Monday	5
Tuesday	6
Wednesday	7
Thursday	8
Friday	9
Saturday	10
Sunday	11
Monday	12
Tuesday	13	Wagoner	Wagoner	630 pm	Wagoner Civic Center
Wednesday	14
Thursday	15	Muskogee	Muskogee	600 pm	Civic Center
Friday	16
Saturday	17
Sunday	18
Monday	19	Sequoyah	Sallisaw	630 pm	People Inc. Conference Center
Tuesday	20	Okmulgee	Okmulgee	630 pm	Green Country Tech Center
Wednesday	21	McIntosh	Checotah	630 pm	F.A.I.C. Fire Department
Thursday	22	Franklin	Ozark	600 pm	Collegiate Center, AR Tech Ozark
Friday	23
Saturday	24	Washington OK	Bartlesville	900 am	Arvest Bank Community Room
Sunday	25
Monday	26	Le Flore	Poteau	630 pm	Holton Business Center, Carl Albert State College
Tuesday	27	Mayes	Pryor	600 pm	Mayes County Event Center
Wednesday	28	Rogers	Claremore	630 pm	Courthouse
Thursday	29	Craig	Vinita	630 pm	Community Center/County Fairgrounds

March 2024
Day	Date	County	City	Time	Location/Notes
Friday	1
Saturday	2
Sunday	3
Monday	4
Tuesday	5
Wednesday	6
Thursday	7
Friday	8
Saturday	9
Sunday	10
Monday	11	Cherokee	Tahlequah	630 pm	Emergency Operations Center
Tuesday	12	Choctaw	Hugo	630 pm	Kiamichi Technology Center
Wednesday	13
Thursday	14	Latimer	Wilburton	600 pm	Canceled - Severe Weather
Friday	15
Saturday	16	Tulsa	Tulsa	900 am	OSU Tulsa, Auditorium
Sunday	17
Monday	18	Crawford	Van Buren	600 pm	Figure Five Fire Station, Hwy 59
Tuesday	19	Virtual	Virtual	630 pm	Completed
Wednesday	20
Thursday	21
Friday	22
Saturday	23
Sunday	24
Monday	25	Sebastian	Ft Smith	600 pm	Sebastian County EOC
Tuesday	26	Benton	Bentonville	630 pm	Walmart Auditorium, NWACC
Wednesday	27	Virtual	Virtual	630 pm	Completed
Thursday	28	Pawnee	Pawnee	630 pm	Women's Building, Fairgrounds
Friday	29
Saturday	30
Sunday	31

April 2024
Day	Date	County	City	Time	Location/Notes
Monday	1	Virtual	Virtual	630 pm	Canceled due to severe weather
Tuesday	2	Washington AR	Fayetteville	630 pm	East Annex, Washington County Sheriff's Office
Wednesday	3
Thursday	4
Friday	5	Creek	Mannford	600 pm	Freedom Hill FD
Saturday	6
Sunday	7