Gaylord, Michigan – As severe weather season approaches, the National Weather Service is ramping up efforts to train residents across northern Michigan to report storms in real time, starting with a session Monday evening in Petoskey.
According to the National Weather Service in Gaylord, Skywarn spotter training classes are free and open to the public, with the first session requiring pre-registration scheduled for Monday from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. at the Bear River Center. Additional sessions across Cheboygan, Gaylord, Traverse City, and other communities will follow through late April and into May, with no registration required for most locations.
The program teaches participants how to identify severe weather features such as funnel clouds, damaging winds, and hail, while also showing how to safely relay reports to the NWS. Officials say trained spotters play a critical role in improving warning accuracy during fast զարգing storms.
Sessions are scheduled in counties including Emmet, Otsego, Grand Traverse, and Alpena, expanding coverage across northern Lower Michigan and parts of the eastern Upper Peninsula.
With severe weather season nearing its peak, officials encourage residents to attend a nearby session and stay weather-aware. Additional class dates and locations may be added as demand increases.
