CHARLES CITY, IA - The rushing Winnebago River tried to take over several streets in Mason City late Friday night, but thanks to quick work by local storm spotters, those roads were closed off and no one was hurt. That's something the National Weather Service wants to see more of.
"We just think it's a really important thing that people freshen up on their skills this time of year," said Floyd County Emergency Management Coordinator Bridget Edson.
They're teaming up with local emergency management coordinators to train a room of emergency workers in Charles City, in the art of storm spotting.
"Know what they're looking for and what signs are dangerous to get in, and what signs to report to local authorities that something bad's happening," said Edson.
"they're one of the first people that we contact to make sure, after we put out a warning, or even sometimes ahead of it, to alert them that they're going to be experiencing things like that," said National Weather Service Meteorologist Tim Halbach.
Flooding was one of several topics at the Monday night training session.
Meteorologists are stressing the importance of safety, so events like an Iowa teen getting swept away in flood waters last week don't happen often.
"Luckily she survived,” said National Weather Service Meteorologist Todd Shea, “but she did get swept through a culvert and everything. She realized, unfortunately, the hard way, how much force there is to this flowing water."
They're learning how to detect weather approaching, who to notify, and above all, how to keep their communities, and themselves safe.
"Weather changes pretty fast in Iowa,” said Edson, “so we're always asking people to be aware whether you're at work, or at home, or at play.
Monday night's seminar in Charles City also touched on everything from wind, to lightning, to tornados.
Folks at the National Weather Service say, they rely heavily on their spotters to tell them what's really going on at the ground level.
To learn more about weather spotting, CLICK HERE.
