National Weather Service United States Department of Commerce

Storm Spotter Training 2026

 

We will be scheduling the 2026 training sessions, and posting them in the calendar below as they are scheduled.

 

Throughout eastern Oklahoma and northwestern Arkansas, trained and dedicated individuals monitor the skies around their communities during severe weather events. These storm spotters provide first-hand severe weather reports to their local officials, and to the National Weather Service in Tulsa, which are used to make critical warning decisions.
 
Being a storm spotter not only means dedication but also training. Each winter and spring the Tulsa office of the National Weather Service trains members of police & fire departments, emergency management officials, and amateur radio operators on spotting techniques. Typically, the training is coordinated by a local group (such as an emergency management agency) and a NWS meteorologist serves as the guest instructor. The goal of the training is not just to recognize tornadoes, but to have some understanding of storm structure, which in turn better prepares the spotter for the extreme and unusual circumstances. Other topics covered include an update on the latest NWS technology and procedures, ideas for organizing/coordinating spotter groups, severe weather reporting, and important safety considerations.
 
The training is free.  All the classes listed below are open to the public, and are conducted in-person at the specified hosting site.  No pre-registration is required.  Virtual training sessions WILL BE scheduled and posted in March and early April - ONLY those sessions WILL REQUIRE PRE-REGISTRATION.  
 
Contact WCM Ed Calianese for any questions.
 

 

January 2026
Day Date County City Time Location/Notes
Sunday 18        
Monday 19        
Tuesday 20        
Wednesday 21        
Thursday 22        
Friday 23        
Saturday 24        
Sunday 25        
Monday 26        
Tuesday  27 Choctaw Hugo 600 pm Postponed to Feb 3rd
Wednesday 28        
Thursday 29 Le Flore Poteau 600 pm Carl Albert State College
Friday 30        
Saturday 31 Okmulgee Okmulgee 900 am Green Country Tech Center

 

 

February 2026
Day Date County City Time Location/Notes
Sunday 1        
Monday 2 Muskogee Muskogee 630 pm Civic Center
Tuesday 3 Choctaw Hugo 600 pm Postponed
Wednesday 4        
Thursday 5 Tulsa Sand Springs 600 pm Public Safety Center
Friday 6        
Saturday 7        
Sunday 8        
Monday 9 Washington AR Fayetteville 630 pm Emergency Operations Center
Tuesday 10        
Wednesday 11        
Thursday 12 McIntosh Eufaula 630 pm Texanna Fire Department
Friday 13        
Saturday 14        
Sunday 15        
Monday 16        
Tuesday 17        
Wednesday 18        
Thursday 19 Osage Pawhuska 630 pm Osage Nation Law Building
Friday 20        
Saturday 21        
Sunday 22        
Monday 23 Wagoner Coweta 600 pm Crosspoint Baptist Church
Tuesday 24 Mayes Pryor 600 pm Mayes County Event Center
Wednesday 25        
Thursday 26 Haskell Stigler 630 pm Kiamichi Tech Center
Friday  27        
Saturday 28        
           

 

March 2026
Day Date County City Time Location/Notes
Sunday 1        
Monday 2         
Tuesday 3 Pittsburg McAlester 600 pm EOC
Wednesday 4 Rogers Claremore 600 pm County Courthouse
Thursday 5 Franklin Ozark 600 pm Student Services Center, Arkansas Tech University
Friday 6        
Saturday 7 Pawnee TBD TBD TBD
Sunday 8        
Monday 9        
Tuesday 10        
Wednesday 11 Cherokee Tahlequah 630 pm TBD
Thursday 12        
Friday 13        
Saturday 14        
Sunday 15        
Monday 16 Sebastian Fort Smith 630 pm Ben Geren Safe Shelter
Tuesday 17        
Wednesday 18 Benton Bentonville 630 pm Walmart Auditorium, NWACC
Thursday 19        
Friday  20        
Saturday 21        
Sunday 22        
Monday 23 Creek Drumright 630 pm Central Technology Center
Tuesday 24        
Wednesday 25        
Thursday 26        
Friday 27        
Saturday 28        
Sunday 29        
Monday  30        
Tuesday  31        

 

April 2026
Day Date County City Time Location/Notes
Wednesday 1        
Thursday 2         
Friday 3        
Saturday 4        
Sunday 5        
Monday 6        
Tuesday  7