With a rare, late-January tornado strike already on the weather books in Austin this year, there's no quibbling: spring severe weather season is underway. Are you ready for the next storm?

The YNN weather team invites you to come talk weather, both good and bad, at Austin's first-ever "WeatherFest" on Saturday, February 25th, at the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum.

The event runs from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. and is free and open to the general public.

Coinciding with Texas' Severe Weather Awareness Week, "WeatherFest" will include first-hand stories and incredible videos from some of the top storm chasers on the planet. They're from around here, the tail end of Tornado Alley, and they love talking about Texas twisters.

Drop by the YNN table and pose a question to one of our meteorologists. Learn tips from an expert photographer on how to capture pictures of weather in both day and night. Free rain gauges and other YNN goodies will be given away at the top of every hour.

Girlstart will engage young minds to think about wind, rain, snow and storms with hands-on activities and a chance to create a forecast.

Learn how to properly install a new rain gauge and join CoCoRAHs, the Community Collaborative Rain, Hail, and Snow network. Representatives will be on hand.

Ever wonder how a tornado forms? Better yet, what signs in the sky might help you spot threatening weather before it strikes?

Paul Yura, warning coordination meteorologist with the local National Weather Service office, will lead two "Skywarn" storm spotter training sessions: basic and advanced. You'll see a storm from the inside out, learn the mechanism behind hail creation, and visualize how horizontally rotating tubes of air can turn vertical and violent, what meteorologists call tornadogenesis.

Attendees might want to brush up on a bit of weather history in the museum's Texas Spirit Theater, where "Wild Texas Weather" gives credence to the old saying: "This is Texas. If you don't like the weather, just wait a day."

Take an up-close look at nature in the museum's IMAX Theatre with a free screening of "Hurricane on the Bayou" at 10 a.m.

Seating capacity will limit "Skywarn" training to the first 150 candidates -- first come, first served. Those who complete the "Skywarn" sessions become official storm spotters for the NWS. A safety course will be offered in between "Skywarn" sessions.

Take a moment now to plan ahead for the next severe weather event. It's likely to be a busy spring.

The Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum is located at 1800 N Congress Avenue (map .) Parking is available on-site, and is for free at the adjacent state parking lot.