South Plains Storm Spotting Team
About South Plains Storm Spotting Team
Who We Are
The South Plains Storm Spotting Team (SPSST) is a private foundation of dedicated ham radio operators that share a passion in severe weather and helping their community. The team members dedicate their time and money to provide the Lubbock Office of the National Weather Service with real time information on severe storms affecting their 24 county warning area (see map below.) This information is relayed through ham radio repeaters strategically placed around the South Plains that are linked together as one network. This is done in an effort to assist the National Weather Service with timely storm warnings and warning verification. Go to the F.A.Q page for more information about Skywarn and storm spotting.
What We Do
1. Respond to Stand-by and Activation requests from the National Weather Service (NWS).
2. Proceed to areas of interest as indicated by the NWS.
3. Send a senior member of the SPSST to the NWS office to relay information between the spotters in the field and NWS
meteorologists, communicating via multi-county network of linked amateur radio repeater sites.
4. Use all resources, training, and experience to communicate accurate information from the field to the NWS office to describe
exact conditions of the storm being monitored.
5. Use our own vehicles.
6. Use our own mobile radio equipment.
7. Use our own personal finances for fuel and other travel expenses.
8. Average almost 200 vehicle miles per activation.
9. Average almost 20 activations per year.
10. Perform these services at no expense to the NWS or the public for whom we perform these functions.
The Lubbock County Warning Area which the Lubbock NWS office is responsible for issuing forecasts, warnings and advisories.
