(Menlo, Iowa) – Adair/Guthrie County Emergency Management Coordinator Rob Kempf says the 2024 Storm Spotter Class for Adair & Guthrie Counties has been scheduled for March 20, 2024.  The class will be held at the Menlo Community Building from 7:00 pm to approximately 9:00 pm. The training will be presented by the Des Moines Office of the National Weather Service and is FREE and open to the public. This training is required every 2 years if you are a registered spotter.

The National Weather Service puts out a call for storm spotters each Spring. Spotter training classes are held through the state. They help those interested in learning about the typical, different modes of weather and what to look for when severe weather is possible. The classes teach your the difference between a shelf cloud and a wall cloud, and what differentiates a scud cloud from a funnel cloud.

Each class is about two hours long and covers all severe weather hazards including thunderstorms and tornadoes. You’ll have a better understanding of the structure and movement of severe thunderstorms, including identifying storm features and the difference between each. You will also learn important severe weather safety tips. Most classes do not require pre-registration.