Huddled around computers, teams of meteorologists-in-training carefully analyzed data from radar, satellites, and other observing systems. Telltale signs of severe thunderstorms appeared on their displays, tracking toward Dallas. As the storms intensified, these students faced several key decisions: should they issue a severe thunderstorm warning, a tornado warning, or do nothing?
![In 2019, University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology Student Ryan Cumming participated in a severe weather simulation used to train all National Weather Service forecasters. He was one of 26 students who took the "Application of Theory to Severe Thunderstorm Forecasting" course. CIMMS Researcher Jill Hardy supports the NWS Warning Decision Training Division training and points out some areas to Cumming that he should focus on. (Image credit: Emily Summars/University of Oklahoma Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies/NOAA) In 2019, University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology Student Ryan Cumming participated in a severe weather simulation used to train all National Weather Service forecasters. He was one of 26 students who took the "Application of Theory to Severe Thunderstorm Forecasting" course. CIMMS Researcher Jill Hardy supports the NWS Warning Decision Training Division training and points out some areas to Cumming that he should focus on.](/sites/default/files/styles/landscape_width_1275/public/legacy/image/2020/Mar/cimms_0008.jpg?itok=prKQPeKN)
In 2019, University of Oklahoma School of Meteorology Student Ryan Cumming participated in a severe weather simulation used to train all National Weather Service forecasters. He was one of 26 students who took the "Application of Theory to Severe Thunderstorm Forecasting" course. CIMMS Researcher Jill Hardy supports the NWS Warning Decision Training Division training and points out some areas to Cumming that he should focus on. (Image credit: Emily Summars/University of Oklahoma Cooperative Institute for Mesoscale Meteorological Studies/NOAA)