1. Stormtrack requires a registration fee of $5 to get in. The registration fee helps cover server, vBulletin, and bandwidth costs and maximizes the signal-to-noise ratio by making it harder for trolls and troublemakers to get in. After you register your account you will be directed to a link where you can securely pay by Paypal or credit card and get instant access.

Special note: NOAA employees with a NOAA e-mail address are always granted free access as a professional courtesy. If you are a NOAA employee and wish to take advantage of this, simply register with a NOAA email address and activate the account when you receive your e-mail confirmation. A staff member will activate the account, usually within a few days but sometimes up to a week depending on workload.

2. You must use a real name when registering (FIRST AND LAST NAME, or FIRST INITIAL AND LAST NAME only). YOUR ACCOUNT WILL BE SUSPENDED IF YOU FAIL TO COMPLY. No nicknames, handles, or "johnsmith72" type names! This is the policy of our board. If you do not want to use your real name, we allow fake names on a "don't ask, don't tell" basis and as long as the name is not famous or clever in a way that identifies it as a fake name.

3. We no longer require filling out the New User Essay on the next page but we recommend it so if we suspect a spammer registration or a troublemaker we'll be able to see that you are a legitimate user.