CANWARN volunteers are storm spotters who report specific weather observations to Environment Canada. Even with high tech computers, radar and satellites, first hand observation of cloud formations and storm activity is still a necessary part of the severe weather warning system.
As a CANWARN volunteer you attend a 3 hour training session once a year. Information on CANWARN training is below along with some interesting facts from Geoff Coulson, Meterologist with Environment Canada.
"Folks…hope everyone has been enjoying the amazing start to the month of March. The warm, sunny weather is a prelude to what we will be seeing a lot more often by late April. The return of warm and humid weather in April will also herald the start of the spring/summer severe weather season in Ontario. This severe weather will take the form of powerful thunderstorms capable of producing damaging winds, flooding rains, large hail and tornadoes. The 2009 season had a number of significant events. On July 9th three American tourists lost their lives in a fishing camp in Northwestern Ontario north of Dryden when a Fujita Scale 2 tornado moved through the camp. On August 20th, 18 tornadoes were spawned from a series of supercell thunderstorms that moved over southcentral and eastern Ontario. These 18 tornadoes represented a new Canadian record for most tornadoes in one day. Yet another milestone will be reached this spring, May 31st, 2010 will be the 25th anniversary of the Barrie and Grand Valley tornadoes…the last confirmed Fujita Scale 4 tornadoes to occur in Ontario…that, between them, took 11 lives.
CANWARN volunteer storm spotters continue to play an integral role in Environment Canada's severe weather watch/warning program. I would encourage you to come out to a training session near you...
On behalf of my colleagues at the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre, I would like to thank all of you for being a part of this very important program. Your timely reports of severe weather are greatly appreciated and help in increasing the safety and security of the people of Ontario. I look forward to seeing some of you at the training sessions this year. So without further ado…here are the list of this year's sessions as things stand now…"
Windsor - Monday, April 12th 7 PM - Caboto Club 2175 Parent Avenue
London - Tuesday, April 13th 7 PM - Four Points Sheraton Hotel 1150 Wellington Road
Hamilton - Saturday, April 17th 9 AM - Nash Auditorium, Wilcox Building, Chedoke Hospital, Sanitorium Road
Sarnia - Tuesday, April 20th 7 PM - Kinsmen Centre (Oakroom Room) 656 Lakeshore Road
Peterborough - Tuesday, April 20th 7 PM - Canadian Canoe Museum 910 Monaghan Road
Kitchener - Wednesday April 21st 7 PM - Bingemans Conference Centre - 425 Bingemans Centre Drive
Orillia - Saturday, April 24th 9 AM - Highwayman Inn - 201 Woodside Drive
Toronto - Saturday, May 1st 9 AM - Environment Canada Headquarters 4905 Dufferin St (Dufferin south of Steeles Avenue)
Cornwall - Saturday, May 1st 9 AM - Cornwall Legion 415 Second St. W.
Ottawa - Saturday, May 8th 9 AM - Kanata Legion 70 Hines Road
Sudbury - Saturday, May 15th 9:30 AM - Lionel E. Lalonde Centre 239 Montee Principale, Azilda
Sault Ste Marie - Sunday, May 16th 7 PM - Waterfront Inn - 208 St. Mary's Drive
Timmins - Monday, May 17th 7 PM - Days Inn - 14 Mountjoy St. South
North Bay - Wednesday, May 19th 7 PM - Ontario Provincial Police Communication Centre - 877 Gormanville Road
Northwestern Ontario - week of June 7th - exact dates/locations to be determined
Regards,
Geoff Coulson
Warning Preparedness Meteorologist
Météorologue de sensibilisation aux conditions menaçantes
Ontario Region Client Services
Service à la clientèle, Région de l'Ontario
Environment Canada Environnement Canada
Goverment of Canada Gouvernement du Canada
