Weather Service trains Skywarn volunteers

If you love talking about the weather, the National WeatherService needs your help.

The federal agency's Pendleton, Ore., office, with the help ofcounty emergency management officials, will hold two-hour weatherspotter courses throughout southeastern Washington and northeasternOregon.

Under a volunteer program called Skywarn, weather spotters helpmeteorologists by providing current weather conditions they can seefrom the ground. While meteorologists consult radar, volunteerspotters are trained to report details such as wind gusts, hail sizeand cloud formations by phone, Internet or amateur radio.

The free program is informal. Spotters may continue their dailyroutines and work schedules and don't need to report vacations.

Here's the course schedule for southcentral Washington counties:

Kittitas County: 7 p.m. Wednesday, county courthousecommissioners auditorium, Room 109, Ellensburg.

Yakima County: 7 p.m. May 3, Fire Station 95, 807 E. Nob HillBlvd., Yakima.

Benton County: 7 p.m. May 4, Prosser City Hall, 601 Seventh Ave.

Klickitat County: 7 p.m. May 24, Klickitat PUD, 1313 S. ColumbusAve., Goldendale.

To register or for more information, go to www.weather.gov/Pendleton or call trainer Dennis Hull at 541-969-7136.