Weather Spotter Training Continues through April

The National Weather Service (NWS) Office in North Platte, NE continues to provide in-person storm spotter training for Spring 2026 through April.  Anyone interested in becoming a spotter is welcome to attend any training session – spotter training is open to the public.

Storm spotter training is provided in coordination with county emergency managers, volunteer fire departments, and other local community organizations in preparation for the severe weather season.

Whether looking to assist the local community by becoming a volunteer storm spotter reporting severe weather to the National Weather Service, or simply wanting to learn more about severe weather, all area residents are urged to consider attending one of the storm spotter classes.

Classes are approximately 1 to 1.5 hours and provide the basics of thunderstorm development, storm structure, the features to look for, and where to find them. What, when and how to report information, as well as basic severe weather safety, are also covered.

An Advanced Spotter Course will also be provided by the NWS this year.  However, the advanced training is not required to be certified as a storm spotter.

In the KCNI/KBBN listening area, training will be provided at the following locations:

For any questions about a class date or location, contact Custer County Emergency Manager Mark Rempe at 308-872-3349. For Region 26, contact Emergency Manager Alma Beland at 308-942-3461 The training is free and pre-registration is not required.

If you have further questions, contact the Warning Coordination Meteorologist Shawn Jacobs directly.