[HCRA] Fw: SKYWARN Newsletter #205
[email protected]
[email protected]
Sun, 8 Jun 2003 20:28:38 -0400
Eric Tuller N1QKO
flash floods+warlords+winter storms+callisto+tornados
WHEN ALL ELSE FAILS.....AMATEUR RADIO !!
earthquakes+monsters+hurricanes+evil gods+public service
CT+ MD+ VT+ King Richards Ren Faires
--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "Rob Macedo" <[email protected]>
To: <[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]>, <[email protected]>,
<[email protected]>, <[email protected]>
Date: Sun, 8 Jun 2003 16:40:01 -0400
Subject: SKYWARN Newsletter #205
Message-ID: <001501c32dfe$7e340f70$58e97ad1@skywarnmainpc>
Hello to all...
SKYWARN Self-Activation Report from Wednesday May 28th, 2003...
SKYWARN Self-Activation Report from Thursday June 5th, 2003...
Pattern Change This Week Could Result in More Severe Weather Events...
50th Anniversary of the F4-F5 Worcester Tornado Commemorations....
Results of the National Hurricane Center Communications Test...
Links to Sites Concerning the Major Severe Weather Outbreak in early May
in
Midwest US...
***Newsletter Issued 6/8/03.
SKYWARN Self-Activation Report from Wednesday May 28th, 2003...
SKYWARN was self-activated for the first time this year for a convective
event that developed as more breaks of sunshine developed than expected
in
a modestly unstable airmass. Thunderstorms formed in Connecticut through
Eastern Massachusetts and one of the thunderstorms in the line became
severe in Hartford County CT.
A Severe Thunderstorm Warning was posted for Hartford County Connecticut.
Connecticut SKYWARN was activated in Hartford County. Jim McBride-KD1LD
and Harvey Broverman-K1PZS were active on the 147.000 Soapstone CT
Repeater. Dime Sized Hail was reported in Enfield and Manchester, CT.
In Manchester CT, hail fell for slightly over 5 minutes covering the
ground. Reports were relayed to NWS Taunton using the IRLP link to
Eastern Massachusetts where Ray Weber-KA1JJM and I were monitoring and
reports were phoned into NWS Taunton.
The thunderstorms developed into a training configuration and this
resulted
in very heavy rainfall in a short period of time and a Flash Flood
Warning
was issue for Hartford County, CT. Several reports of cars submerged in
water with 2 people needing to be rescued were reported in the Hartford
and Bloomfield, CT area. Also, Beamans Brook in Bloomfield, CT overflowed
its banks.
The SKYWARN Self-Activation secured at the end of the Flash Flood Warning
at 7:15 PM as thunderstorms dissipated over the area.
In the Greater Boston area, reports of small hail were received from
Bill Ricker-N1VUX as he was monitoring the 145.23 Boston and 146.64
Waltham Repeaters. K1HRV-Dave Doe was notified to monitor the storms
on the 146.895-Walpole Repeater. No other reports of hail or severe
weather were received.
Special thanks to all who monitored this situation.
SKYWARN Self-Activation Report from Thursday June 5th, 2003...
SKYWARN was self-activated just outside of the NWS Taunton area in
New London County. Jim McBride-KD1LD reported 1.5" of rainfall with
a final total of 1.7" of rain as thunderstorms rumbled over New London
County, CT. Trees and wires were down in Jewitt City, CT. Jim reported
this information to NWS Brookhaven, NY and monitored the 146.73-Norwich
CT Repeater.
Special thanks to Jim-KD1LD for his efforts during this event that
affected New London County, Connecticut.
Pattern Change This Week Could Result in More Severe Weather Events...
The weather pattern over the past few weeks has been more like winter
than summer with nor'easter type systems producing heavy rainfall and
upper low pressure systems to the west of the region that have kept
the region in a cloudy and showery pattern for much of the past few
weeks. This pattern is now changing and a more summer-like pattern
is developing over the region.
This upcoming week shows two possibilities for thunderstorms with the
threat of at least isolated severe weather with the threat for
thunderstorms currently forecasted for Monday and Wednesday of this
week. Also, temperatures will be gradually warmer with humidity building
over the region.
Thus far in 2003, the number of severe weather events reported when
compared to the last 2 years is way below what has occurred in the last
2 years, however, it would only take a couple of sizeable severe
weather events to change that trend. SKYWARN Coordinators and
Spotters are urged to maintain their vigilance as the pattern change
that is forecasted may result in more SKYWARN Activations across
the region as thunderstorms and the potential for severe weather will
be on the rise across the region.
50th Anniversary of the F4-F5 Worcester Tornado Commemorations....
On Monday June 9th, 2003, the 50th Anniversary of the F5 Worcester
Tornado will be marked by special TV programs, a special commoration
put on by the Blue Hill Observatory and SKYWARN training for spotters
in the Worcester area.
A special slide show featuring a look back at the Worcester Tornado
is available on the NWS Taunton Web site at the following link:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/box/WorcesterTornado53.html
The following link gives the schedule of events for the Worcester Tornado
Commemeration put on by the Blue Hill Observatory
http://www.bluehill.org/events.html
Finally, SKYWARN training will also be offered for those interested
in refreshing their training and for new people interested in becoming
SKYWARN Spotters for NWS Taunton. The timeframe and location are listed
below:
06/09/2003 7-10PM Worcester Emergency Management Operations Center
Mon. 50 Skyline Drive
Worcester, MA
Special TV programs that will feature the Worcester Tornado include
the following:
Tornado Special on Channel-5 WCVB-TV Tuesday June 10th at 8 PM
The Worcester Tornado an Eye on Our Atmosphere Special by Mish Michaels
can be seen at the following dates and times:
WSBK TV-38: June 8th at 7 PM.
June 11th at 11:30 PM.
WBZ TV-4: June 15th at 5:30 PM.
Special articles from the media on Remembering the Worcester Tornado
include the following:
http://wbz4.com/atmosphere/local_story_142154116.html
http://www.whdh.com/features/articles/specialreport/A294/
http://www.thebostonchannel.com/entertainment/2209455/detail.html
While its been 50 years since the Worcester Tornado hit the area, violent
tornadoes have occurred in Southern New England since that fateful day
of June 9th, 1953. A F4 Tornado affected Windsor Locks, Connecticut on
October 3rd, 1979 and a F4 tornado affected Great Barrington,
Massachusetts
on May 29th, 1995. Violent tornadoes can affect Southern New England.
Let's
use this 50th Anniversary of the Worcester Tornado to remind us to
stay safe during severe weather and to continue to execute in pursuing
the SKYWARN mission of protecting life and property through timely
severe weather reporting to the National Weather Service.
Results of the National Hurricane Center Communications Test...
NWS Taunton participated in the National Hurricane Center Communications
Test on Sunday June 1st, 2003. Operations began at 2:45 PM. IRLP was
utilized and contact was made with WX4NHC as WE4B-Bob was a Net Control
who assembled contacts for the National Hurricane Center and then
the NHC made direct contact with all stations that were assembled on
the list.
A brief contact was made with the National Hurricane Center and some
brief history of New England hurricanes were discussed on the air. A
Weather report from areas were corresponded as well. After the contact,
an attempt was made to contact the National Hurricane Center on 20
Meters. Band conditions were very poor and no contact was made.
One item noted in this Communications Test that was different from
an actual Hurricane Watch Net activation is that the typical relays
into the NHC during an event on HF were not on the air. This may have
allowed for contact to the NHC.
Based on the item noted and the Communications Test results, two
lessons were learned:
1.) IRLP will need to be the primary contact mode at the onset of the
hurricane.
2.) HF relay stations that have a more robust antenna array and higher
power will be needed to assist NWS Taunton in contacting the NHC if
direct contact cannot be made by HF and IRLP goes down in the event of
a hurricane.
Other Amateurs from Southern New England also utilized HF, IRLP and
Echolink in an attempt to contact the National Hurricane Center during
the Communication Test and special thanks to all those who did
participate.
Links to Sites Concerning the Major Severe Weather Outbreak in early May
in
Midwest US...
During the first 10-14 days of May, a very turbulent severe weather event
developed across the Midwest and Southeast US. Its been a month now and
NWS Forecast Offices have caught up on reviewing the data and have
published
reports and preliminary data including pictures on these events. The
following
is a representative sample of links to these various events, there are
probably many more that we are unaware of at this time:
NWS Norman, Oklahoma Office (Primary events May 8th and 9th, 2003):
May 8th event:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20030508/index.php
May 9th event:
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/oun/storms/20030509/index.php
NWS Kansas City/Pleasant Hill, MO (Primary events May 4th, 2003):
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/eax/May42003/Tor-0504.htm
NWS Memphis, Tennessee (Primary Events May 4th-7th, 2003):
http://www.srh.noaa.gov/meg/may03/events.html
NWS Paducah, KY (Primary Events May 4th, 6th and 11th, 2003):
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pah/news/
NWS Wichita, KS (Primary Events May 4th and 8th, 2003):
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/cgi-bin/vuestory.pl?STORY_NUMBER=2003051414
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/ict/cgi-bin/vuestory.pl?STORY_NUMBER=2003050520
National NOAA-NWS Article on Some of these Events:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories/s1136.htm
That's all for this edition of the SKYWARN Newsletter.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
SEMCARES Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: [email protected]
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo