MONTAGUE COUNTY (KFDX/KJTL) — Montague County is hosting its annual severe weather storm spotter class next week.
With the city of Bowie still recovering from a tornado that caused widespread damage in May, officials are saying this class means much more than it has in past years.
Officials said they hope this class can better prepare storm spotters to alert the community should a storm come near.
“If there is such a thing, it’s been kind of a blessing,” Bert Cunningham, Bowie city manager, said.
You wouldn’t expect Bowie City Manager Bert Cunningham to say that about an EF-1 tornado that caused $20 million in damages to the city in May, but good things have happened in Bowie since then.
“Developers have come in and started buying property. A developer came in and put 4 tiny homes in. We got another developer that’s putting in 13 tiny homes. And then there’s a lot of houses being built. That side of town is really sprucing up,” Cunningham said.
As it gets closer to tornado season in the new year, Montague County emergency management is having its annual storm spotter class in collaboration with the National Weather Service.
“It’s very important to keep people informed so they can learn how to be informed and get messages and warnings when we do have severe weather. It just kind of refreshes things for them,” Kelly McNabb, Montague County emergency management coordinator, said.
“We have some wonderful volunteers that help us with storm spotting and preparing everybody and putting the word out. And they constantly go through those storm spotting classes, do a lot of training stuff like that,” Cunningham said.
As the city of Bowie continues its recovery, Cunningham said the tornado will serve as a teacher for how to prepare for the next one.
“Experience is a valuable teacher. We were kind of, initially wandering around in the dark when the tornado hit before , literally, but now we’re not,” Cunningham said. “He’ll be more prepared this time but only through the experience of going through it the first time.”
Bowie officials are becoming better prepared to know how to operate in case another tornado comes their way.
Anyone can sign up for the storm spotter class free of charge.
by PJ Green (2021, Jan 20)
