Per the DeKalb Police Department:

In recent years, the Police Department has hosted a certified National Weather Service weather spotter course, typically held in February or March. This year due to COVID restrictions, the National Weather Service is holding virtual courses. These classes are free and open to the public. The City of DeKalb has been designated as a Storm Ready community by the National Weather Service, and promotes these courses as part of our community outreach efforts. The City of DeKalb is also a Weather Ready Nation Ambassador for its efforts in public education and preparedness for severe weather events.

There are four dates to choose from:

• Thursday, February 11 at 6:30pm
• Tuesday, February 23 at 6:30pm
• Monday, March 1 at 6:30pm
• Wednesday, March 10 at 6:30pm

The link to register for the classes is: https://www.weather.gov/lot/spotter_talk

Per the National Weather Service:

All NWS Chicago Storm Spotter training will be conducted via webinar this year. The webinars will cover severe weather hazards including thunderstorms and tornadoes. This includes safety concerns, planning for and anticipating severe thunderstorms, general storm structure and movement, and identification of important storm features.

• All sessions last about 2 hours.
• They are free and open to the public.
• Classes are appropriate for all ages. Ages 10 and up will likely get the most out of the training.
• Pre-registration is required to access the webinars.
• You may attend a class offered by any NWS office, regardless of where you live.