In Phoenix, Skywarn isn't associated with any particular club or group. (We have a weekly net for those who are Amateur radio licensees, but no monthly meetings or the like.) The NWS notifies certain ARS-licensed spotters who have volunteered to be net controls via telephone tree, who then activate the net, and other ARS-licensed spotters check in as they notice the approaching severe weather or if they hear the net get activated.
Ideally, spotters should always be aware of the daily and weekly forecasts, as well as keep an eye to the sky, and, if their work, family, and other schedules allow it, be near a radio, phone or other means to submit reports to the NWS, or their local emergency management agency as appropriate to the SOP in their locale.
ARS-licensed (or GMRS-licensed, if applicable) spotters shouldn't wait until a formal net is activated. As not all spotters are ARS licensees, and sometimes severe weather occurs before a formal net has been activated, we also have an 800 number that we can call to submit reports.
John
MAA-503
