The Kalamazoo County SKYWARN Spotter Network may be activated when the following conditions exist.

  Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, or Flood Watch or Any Weather Warning

The SKYWARN Coordinator is: 
primary: Art Snapper NK8X 
alternate: Hal Thomas N8HAL  

ACTIVATIONS: 

 BLUE: While severe weather is not expected at a widespread level, scattered thunderstorms may become severe. SKYWARN activation may become necessary when one or more of these storms reach severe limits.   Net control operators may initiate a standby net and escalate the status of the net as the situation dictates.  This is the lowest level of activation.

YELLOW: The potential exists for severe weather over a widespread area. A “Watch” (Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, Flood) requires a standby activation. Net-control stations and spotters should remain near an amateur radio and monitor the situation as it develops. Public safety radio channels and adjacent county SKYWARN nets can provide early warning.  The SKYWARN net-control station may wish to activate a  net and leave it in standby mode, until severe weather arrives.

 RED: A Severe Thunderstorm, Tornado, Flood or Blizzard “Warning”, will require the SKYWARN net-control station to call a directed net. This is the highest level of activation. Contact will be made with the National Weather Service via telephone or radio. Issuance of a Winter Storm or Blizzard Warning will also require the activation of the QMN snowfall network.

      SKYWARN net-control stations will immediately report property damaging  weather conditions to the Kalamazoo County Sheriff’s department and the National Weather Service via telephone or radio. The SKYWARN coordinator may also choose to activate the EAS/EBS system if conditions warrant.