SKYWARN^® Operations Plan and Standard Operating Procedures

The purpose of the SKYWARN^® program in Pinellas County Florida is to provide the National Weather Service (NWS) Forecast Office at Tampa Bay with timely and accurate reports of severe weather phenomena so that a timely warning can be issued to the public of dangerous weather conditions that include tornadoes, hail, flooding, and damaging thunderstorm winds.

This document defines the Pinellas County (PinCo) Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) SKYWARN^® Operations Plan and Standard Operating Procedures used by all members of PinCo SKYWARN® during training exercises and activation events. The document defines the organizational structure of PinCo SKYWARN^®, the detailed steps required by all SKYWARN^® members to activate and deactivate SKYWARN^®, and the procedures used to identify and report severe weather events.

A detailed description of SKYWARN^® networks, frequencies, modes, and contingency plans are also included.

Comments and recommendations are welcome.