Oklahoma may still be in the middle of winter, but storm season will be here before we know it. The National Weather Service will begin its Skywarn storm spotter training in February this year. In-person training sessions will be held in various locations across Oklahoma and north Texas throughout February and March.

Skywarn is a volunteer program through the NOAA's National Weather Service and partner organizations. Skywarn has nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters that assist the National Weather Service by providing timely and accurate reports of severe weather. The main responsibility of Skywarn volunteers is to identify and describe severe storms in their communities.

Some local communities may have organized storm spotter teams or official Skywarn teams, and those interested in becoming a part of those teams would want to contact their local emergency management office. But anyone can be a storm spotter and submit reports directly to the National Weather Service.

And for those who are interested in becoming a storm spotter are encouraged to attend the free storm spotter training hosted by the National Weather Service in Norman.

The National Weather Service in Norman will host multiple storm spotter training sessions before storm season.

The National Weather Service in Norman hosts onsite storm spotter training classes each year in each of their districts. The National Weather Service in Norman oversees 15 districts in Oklahoma and north Texas. Those wishing to be a part of a storm spotter team for their community may want to consider attending a training in the district in which they live in order to also make contact with their local emergency management team.

Below are the districts and dates for the 2025 Storm Spotter Training with the National Weather Service in Norman. More information, like time and place, can be found on the National Weather Service in Norman's official website.

  • Wichita Falls - Saturday, Feb. 8
  • Frederick - Monday, Feb. 10
  • Watonga - Wednesday, Fed. 12
  • Atoka - Thursday, Feb. 13
  • Cheyenne - Tuesday, Feb. 18
  • Woodward - Thursday, Feb. 20
  • Sulphur - Saturday, Feb. 22
  • Tishomingo - Monday, Feb. 24
  • Chandler - Wednesday, Feb. 26
  • Edmond, Thursday, Feb. 27
  • Cherokee - Monday, March 10
  • Shawnee - Tuesday, March 11
  • Perry - Wednesday, March 12
  • Knox City - Thursday, March 13
  • Lawton - Tuesday, March 25

The National Weather Service in Norman will also host three virtual storm spotter trainings which will be announced at a later date. They will also host an advanced webinar on Tuesday, April 1.

via GIPHY

Oklahoma's Top 10 Deadliest Tornadoes

From the National Weather Service in Norman, these are the 10 most deadly tornadoes that happened in Oklahoma from 1882 to present.

Gallery Credit: Kaley Patterson

Things You'll Need in Your Oklahoma Tornado Prep Kit

Even though the odds of your life being affected by a tornado are extremely thin, there's no harm in being prepared with basic necessities. Even if the storm misses your home you could still find yourself without power or water for days to weeks. Here's a quick rundown on the basics every home should have for tornado season in Oklahoma.

Gallery Credit: Kelso

More From KLAW-FM