NWA SKYWARN

Serving NWA since 2021

Policy and Procedures

NWA SKYWARN supports severe weather awareness, storm spotting, and amateur radio coordination across Northwest Arkansas. Our goal is to help trained spotters safely relay timely, useful ground-truth reports during hazardous weather.

Severe Weather Support

NWA SKYWARN focuses on reports that help confirm what radar, warnings, and local conditions are showing in real time. These reports may help alert the public and assist the National Weather Service, local meteorologists, and emergency management partners.

Radio Communication

When the net is active, NWA SKYWARN gathers timely information from across the area. Amateur Radio is used as a primary communications method when fast, reliable coordination is needed. The net may also support post-storm traffic related to damage reports, emergency management coordination, and other public-service needs.

Training First

Spotters are encouraged to complete National Weather Service spotter training and refresh their knowledge annually. NWA SKYWARN recommends two free training resources: NWS Tulsa Spotter Training and the MetEd Spotter Training module. Additional training is encouraged.




Activation Criteria

NWA SKYWARN may activate a net when severe weather conditions warrant organized spotter communication. Activation is initiated by a Net Control Station and is generally based on one or more of the following conditions:

  • A Tornado Warning is issued for the NWA area.
  • A Tornado Watch is in effect and precipitation is entering or developing in the NWA area.
  • A Severe Thunderstorm Warning is issued for the NWA area. Isolated or short-lived storms may not require full activation.
  • Severe weather is imminent or expected, as determined by the Net Control Station.



Operational Policy

The following policies are intended to keep NWA SKYWARN nets useful, timely, and safe. Net Control Stations may use discretion based on storm timing, available operators, spotter safety, and the needs of emergency management partners.

  • Nets should generally begin when severe weather is within 45 minutes to one hour of the Arkansas/Oklahoma border.
  • Nets should generally not be started during Dark Hours, defined as 11:00 p.m. to 5:00 a.m. local time. During Dark Hours, stations may monitor the system or operate in a standby posture when conditions warrant. If a net begins before 11:00 p.m., Dark Hours alone do not require the net to close.
  • Nets should close when the severe weather threat has diminished or when Net Control coverage is no longer available.
  • Nets may continue after the immediate threat if storm-related or public-service traffic still needs to be handled.
  • Official SKYWARN traffic should remain on the NWA SKYWARN Repeater System unless directed otherwise by Net Control or approved by the technical team.



Procedures

In the situation that the activation criteria is met, a net control station will activate a net. They will activate this through SkyDash, and it will notifiy all registered members via email. They will activate the net on the repeater system under the guidance of the net control script. Check-ins via RF is only allowed at the descetion of the net control operator. If they are asking for reports and emergency traffic no check-ins will be allowed, unless they also have that traffic.

Check-Ins who need to leave the net must check out by notifying net control during a check-in allowed time frame. When net control closes the net, all participants are checked-out.




Affiliated Radio Community

NWA SKYWARN is not part of the Bella Vista Radio Club, commonly known as BVRC. However, many NWA SKYWARN participants are also BVRC members. BVRC promotes goodwill, fellowship, public service, and the advancement of the radio art throughout the region.

BVRC Website