As we approach summer, a meteorologist with Environment Canada was in Steinbach on the weekend to talk with storm spotters about how to identify different types of thunderstorms.

Natalie Hasell says a lot of the questions she received from local storm spotters were about how to better identify different types of severe thunderstorms. She notes the main focus of her discussion was knowing when to be outside examining the storm and when to seek shelter.

"It was a focus on recognizing if you’re looking up at the sky, what are you actually looking at? Identifying is it a thunderstorm or is it not? If it is a thunderstorm what kind of thunderstorm is it? And is it going to be a significant threat to your personal safety and to your property and maybe to your community? By identifying the storms that are really bad and knowing what to do in those circumstances, people can stay safe and keep others safe."

Hasell adds it's important to know where the line is when it comes to looking out for the community and your own personal safety. She says the main point to keep in your head is that safety should be your primary consideration because you never know what mother nature will throw at you. 

"Mother nature does what she wants, we just try to figure it out so those were a lot of the questions. There was a lot of people in the room that have seen a lot of weather. We talk about the weather a lot, we experience a lot of weather and having an opportunity to discuss that beyond just the regular early morning coffee chit-chat is an opportunity that they really appreciate I think."

Emergency Coordinator Denis Vassart notes there are approximately 32 volunteer storm spotters in the Steinbach area.