Partners: University of Kentucky Agriculture & Natural Resources Extension (Fulton County), Fulton County Emergency Management, National Weather Service (NWS) - Paducah Office

Situation: Timely and accurate severe weather reporting is crucial for community safety. The National Weather Service relies on trained volunteer spotters to provide essential ground-truth information that complements radar and other technology, aiding in the issuance of effective warnings. Recognizing the need to bolster the network of trained observers in our region, the Fulton County ANR Extension Office partnered with Fulton County Emergency Management and the NWS Paducah office to offer a Basic Weather Spotter Training.

Program Delivery: On April 16, 2025, eight community members participated in the training session held locally. The course was expertly led by Christine Wielgos, the Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the NWS Paducah office. Participants learned the fundamentals of storm development, how to identify key weather features associated with severe storms, what specific conditions should be reported, and the proper procedures for relaying reports directly to the NWS.

Impact & Evaluation: Post-training surveys revealed significant positive impacts and high participant satisfaction:

•  Speaker Effectiveness: Participants overwhelmingly valued the instruction provided. 100% of respondents indicated they were either "Satisfied" (1 participant) or "Very Satisfied" (7 participants) with the speaker, Christine Wielgos.
• Increased Capability: The training demonstrably increased participants' confidence in their spotting abilities.
  • Regarding knowing what conditions to report, 87.5% (7 participants) rated themselves as "Very Capable," and 12.5% (1 participant) felt "Some Capability."
  • Confidence in how to report conditions showed identical results, with 87.5% feeling "Very Capable" and 12.5% feeling "Some Capability."
  • Understanding the signs for potential severe weather also saw strong gains, with 75% (6 participants) feeling "Very Capable" and 25% (2 participants) feeling "Some Capability."
• Diverse Reach: The training attracted individuals from across the region, including residents of Fulton (2), Graves (1), Hickman (1), and Christian (2) counties in Kentucky, as well as Obion County, Tennessee. This highlights the broad interest and need for such training beyond immediate county lines.
• Varied Recruitment: Attendees learned about the class through multiple channels, including the Extension office (1), NWS resources (1), Amateur Radio networks (2), and other local weather sources (Christian Co Weather - 2), indicating successful outreach through diverse communication pathways.
• Existing Engagement & Future Interest: Participants already utilize a variety of methods for receiving weather alerts (Weather Radio, Local News, Phone Apps, Cell phone, Amateur Radio, Christian Co Weather Service). Encouragingly, a majority (5 out of 8, or 62.5%) expressed interest in pursuing Advanced Spotter Training, demonstrating a commitment to further developing their skills.

Conclusion: This collaborative Basic Weather Spotter Training successfully equipped eight dedicated individuals with the knowledge and confidence needed to contribute valuable real-time weather observations to the National Weather Service. The strong positive feedback and expressed interest in further training underscore the program's value. Through partnerships with Fulton County Emergency Management and the NWS Paducah, the UK Extension service continues to play a vital role in enhancing community preparedness and safety in the face of severe weather threats.