Every year, National Weather Service hosts storm spotter training in the Basin and newcomers flocked this week for the opportunity to learn. 32 volunteers attended the training in Uintah County taught by National Weather Service meteorologist Jim Pringle. Eastern Utah sits in a little pocket between the radar and doppler system of Grand Junction and Salt Lake City, explains Uintah County Emergency Manager Tal Ehlers. That means we don’t have terrific coverage in the Basin and one way National Weather Service supplements their information is by training volunteers as Storm Spotters. “If there is something they think is going on but need a first hand account they have volunteers here to call and gather information from,” shares Ehlers. “It’s how they better serve the community.” Something special about this week’s group is that nearly half of the attendees were Civil Air Patrol cadets between the ages of 12 and 18. As part of the Air Force, the cadets are encouraged to learn about weather and many took advantage by attending the Storm Spotter training this week.
