SKYWARN™ Recognition Day

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day, observed on December 2, honors the dedicated volunteers who help protect their communities by reporting important weather conditions to the National Weather Service. These trained spotters observe storms and share firsthand information—such as hail, flooding, strong winds, and tornadoes—that can support timely warnings and improve public safety.

The observance also celebrates the strong partnership between SKYWARN™ volunteers, weather professionals, emergency managers, and local communities. December 2 is an opportunity to recognize the knowledge, commitment, and service of people who help meteorologists better understand severe weather as it unfolds—and to appreciate the vital role accurate, on-the-ground reports play in keeping others informed and prepared.

SKYWARN™ Recognition Day honors the volunteer storm spotters and amateur radio operators who support the National Weather Service (NWS). These volunteers report severe weather observations—such as tornadoes, damaging winds, large hail, flooding, and significant snowfall—that can supplement radar, satellite, and automated instruments. Their firsthand reports help forecasters assess developing conditions and improve the accuracy and timeliness of warnings.

The observance grew out of the long-running SKYWARN program, which the NWS developed during the 1960s as a formal network of trained weather spotters. The program became especially important because some dangerous weather events cannot be identified reliably through instruments alone. In 1999, the NWS and the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) established SKYWARN Recognition Day to acknowledge the people who provide these reports and the communications support that often makes them possible.

Over time, SKYWARN Recognition Day has become an opportunity for NWS offices and local SKYWARN groups to connect with the public and with one another. Activities have included amateur-radio contacts between weather-service offices, recognition of storm spotters, educational presentations, and demonstrations of emergency communications. These events reflect the observance’s dual emphasis on meteorological information and public-service communication.

Observed on December 2, SKYWARN™ Recognition Day has cultural significance because it celebrates community preparedness rather than focusing solely on the hazards of severe weather. It recognizes volunteers whose work is often conducted quietly and under difficult conditions, while highlighting cooperation among professional forecasters, emergency managers, radio operators, and residents. In this way, the day reinforces the continuing importance of civic participation in protecting lives and property during dangerous weather.