2021-03-22, 18:39:09
I got this email today. Some of you probably got it as well. Seems to me that even if storm reports are coming in via Twitter, they should be coming from people who know what they're observing, but I am kinda old-fashioned.
They sent along a tip sheet, which I've attached.
73
Dave, VE3WI
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As you know, due to COVID, last year we were unable to offer the same CANWARN training program that we have offered for many years: training sessions in many regions of the province covering severe weather spotting and reporting. We did experiment with webinars in a few cases, but we recognize that many of you were unable to participate in them.
Sincerely,
Geoff Coulson, Peter Kimbell, and Gerald Cheng
Ontario Warning Preparedness Meteorologists
March 22, 2021
PS: In case you are not aware, Environment and Climate Change Canada has a weather app (WeatherCAN), released in early 2019, available for both Apple and Android devices. This app represents the most direct way to receive our severe weather alerts. The app can be found in the App Store or Google Play.
They sent along a tip sheet, which I've attached.
73
Dave, VE3WI
---------------------------------------------------------------------------
As you know, due to COVID, last year we were unable to offer the same CANWARN training program that we have offered for many years: training sessions in many regions of the province covering severe weather spotting and reporting. We did experiment with webinars in a few cases, but we recognize that many of you were unable to participate in them.
This year, our travel restrictions will continue, at least in the short term. Meanwhile, the technology that has enabled much of the digital revolution has also changed weather spotting. Social media, in particular, has become ubiquitous and is now the primary means by which meteorologists gather storm information from the public. Furthermore, the work of meteorologists at Environment and Climate Change Canada is changing as we move increasingly towards more impact-based forecasting.
For these (and other) reasons, we have had to make hard choices about our limited resources. With respect to CANWARN, we have decided to prioritize our provincial, municipal, and other emergency management partners. As a result, for this year at least, we will no longer be organizing CANWARN training sessions as we did in the past. However, at the invitation of our emergency management partners, we will be pleased to provide them with training sessions tailored to their needs; in a few cases, they may be opened to members of the public. This will allow us to support our partners in their community emergency preparedness while raising the awareness of weather safety among new audiences.
We regret making this decision, and we know this will disappoint many of you. Some of you have been faithful weather spotters for years, even decades. We are grateful for your support over the years and we want to assure you that we will continue to monitor your severe weather and damage reports sent by e-mail or via Twitter. That will not change. To assist you in continuing to send us your weather reports, we are attaching a tip sheet here. Thank you.
Geoff Coulson, Peter Kimbell, and Gerald Cheng
Ontario Warning Preparedness Meteorologists
March 22, 2021
PS: In case you are not aware, Environment and Climate Change Canada has a weather app (WeatherCAN), released in early 2019, available for both Apple and Android devices. This app represents the most direct way to receive our severe weather alerts. The app can be found in the App Store or Google Play.