[HCRA] Fw: Amateur Radio Field Day and Severe Weather Coordination Message #4

[et-n1qko at juno.com]

 Eric Tuller   N1QKO
Assistant SKYWARN Coordinator for W.MA. M.E.M.A. Region 3 Radio Operator
Emergency Coordinator for the MTARA.  KB1HGK   Radio Operators for
Missing Children
CT+ MD+ VT+ Stockwood + King Richards  Ren Faires

--------- Forwarded message ----------
From: "SkyWarn Announcement List" <SkyWarn-list at oak.powersrvcs.net>
To: <Skywarn-list at oak.powersrvcs.net>
Date: Sun, 26 Jun 2005 08:55:33 -0400
Subject: Amateur Radio Field Day and Severe Weather Coordination Message
#4
Message-ID: <002001c57a4e$57610120$6501a8c0 at oemcomputer>

Hello to all.....

.....The following is the fourth and final in a series of weather
coordination messages
for Amateur Radio Field Day. For Non-Amateurs, a description of Amateur
Radio Field Day is in the first two paragraphs of this coordination
message....
.....Sunday will be another hot and humid day across the region though
perhaps not quite as hot as Saturday. Temperatures will reach the Low to
Possibly Mid 90's today with heat indicies of 95-100 degrees possible.
Please use extreme caution in takedown of Field Day Equipment in the
intense
heat and humidity....
.....A higher probability of thunderstorms and there attendant lightning
risk for today across much of Southern New England. Thunderstorms could
fire
anytime this afternoon and evening and affect the take down of Field Day
sites if the fire up early enough in the region. There is a small
probability that the last two hours of the event from Noon-2 PM could be
affected by isolated to scattered thunderstorms....
.....An isolated severe weather risk in the form of isolated large hail
and
damaging winds are possible anywhere in Southern New England today as
sea-breeze and other weak boundaries over the region help to fire these
thunderstorms at random across Southern New England. SPC has placed the
region in a 5% risk of severe weather today....
.....Amateurs are urged to follow safety instructions for lightning and
for
severe thunderstorms should they occur during Field Day. SKYWARN
Coordinators will guard Field Day sites from significant weather this
weekend and monitor local SKYWARN repeaters to provide support and
coordination if thunderstorms threaten. A lower threshold for NWS Taunton
Ham Operations will be utilized this weekend to support this endeavor and
Ops at the SEMARA Club Station, W1AEC could also be utilized pending the
timeframe and area affected by any thunderstorm threat...
......Other than the first two paragraphs and the paragraph on heat
safety,
much of the rest of this coordination message has been rewritten and an
updated Hazardous Weather Outlook and Day-1 Convective Outlook has been
posted in this email....

For the non-Amateur Radio Operators on the email list, Amateur Radio
Field
Day occurs on the 4th weekend of June every year and is a time where
local
Amateur Radio Clubs and individual Amateurs across the United States set
up
Amateur Radio stations across the region and work other Amateurs in a 24
hour contest that practices some radio operator skills, practices setup
of
Amateur Equipment in the field at various locations for the Amateurs who
elect to setup equipment versus operating their home or pre-installed
club
stations and is an overall fun event that Amateurs enjoy. The field
stations
put on by Amateur Radio Clubs and other groups allows the public to see
Amateur Radio Operators perform their duties in a fun atmosphere. Any
non-Amateurs in Eastern Massachusetts and Connecticut, that are
interested
in visiting the various Field Day sites can see a map of the sites that
are
open to the public via the following links:
http://ema.arrl.org/fd/fd_dir.php
http://www.arrl.org/sections/CT.html#FDAY

Non Amateurs in Rhode Island and New Hampshire that are interested in
visiting Field Day sites that may be open to the public can check for
Field
Day listings at individual clubs listed on the following ARRL links:
http://www.ri.arrl.org/
http://www.arrl.nhradio.org/contents.html

Sunday will be slightly cooler than Saturday but with intense humidity
and
temperatures rising to the low to mid 90's, heat indicies will be around
95-100 degrees. This still poses a significant risk for heat
stroke/exhaustion when doing strenuous activities such as taking down a
Field Day site. Please remember to drink plenty of liquids and remember
the
dangers that the heat can pose. The National Weather Service has
information
dedicated to the dangers of intense heat and humidity. Those links are
listed below:

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/om/heat/index.shtml
http://www.crh.noaa.gov/pub/heat.php
http://weather.gov/os/uv/

In addition to the heat, between sea breeze boundaries and another
boundary
that will cut through portions of New England coupled with such an
unstable
atmosphere in place, it will not take much to get thunderstorm activity
to
fire in the region today. Thunderstorms are a significant safety threat
to
Field Day sites. Non-severe thunderstorms with intense, cloud-to-ground
lightning could cause significant impact to Field Day sites particularly
those in open fields where the highest point on that open field could be
the
antennas that are setup for Field Day. It is important to exercise
extreme
caution should thunderstorms be in the area. If there is enough time,
bring
down the antennas to avoid damage, if there is not enough time for that,
get
away from the antennas and equipment and try to sufficiently cover radio
gear from the elements and move away from the site into your vehicles, a
building or sufficient structure until the weather has passed. If
thunderstorms were to reach near or above severe limits, strong winds can
pose a significant threat to any outdoor Field Day site and may also
bring
large hail as well. Take all thunderstorm risks seriously if you are out
in
the field. Don't become a victim of lightning or if a thunderstorm were
to
reach severe limits, a victim of the strong winds and large hail that a
severe thunderstorm could also produce.

The Storm Prediction Center has placed all of Southern New England in a
5%
risk for severe weather. While there is a low probability for large hail
and
damaging winds, thunderstorms with cloud to ground lightning are a strong
possibility. Field Day sites are urged to follow all safety precautions
for
thunderstorms given the lightning threat. Any sea breeze boundary that
forms
today along with another boundary that will move into portions of New
England will be a focus for thunderstorms today and an isolated to
scattered
severe thunderstorm with large hail and damaging wind is also possible.
Some
form of SKYWARN Activation maybe needed today for this threat today. It
appears that most of the activity should occur after 2 PM when most Field
Day sites will be breaking down but there is a low probability of some
thunderstorm activity while Field Day is still active in the Noon-2 PM
timeframe. The threat will be monitored closely.

As has happened in year's past, Field Day is occurring near the time of
the
National Weather Service's Lightning Safety Awareness Week. A link to the
NWS web site dedicated to the hazards of lightning is listed below:
http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/

In addition, Eastern Massachusetts ARRL has posted some of the safety
messages from Field Day to the web and that information can be seen at
the
following link:
http://ema.arrl.org/fd/Safety.html

Also, NWS Taunton has posted several Public Information Statements on
the threat lightning poses and will post one to two more statements
between
today and Friday. Those statements are also listed as part of this
coordination message.

This is the last message concerning Weather Coordination for Amateur
Radio
Field Day for 2005. Below is the NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook,
Day-1 Convective Outlook and the pertinent Lightning Awareness Week
message
for outdoor activities:

FLUS41 KBOX 260946
HWOBOX

HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
537 AM EDT SUN JUN 26 2005

CTZ002>004-MAZ002>024-026-NHZ011-012-015-RIZ001>008-261536-
BARNSTABLE MA-BLOCK ISLAND RI-BRISTOL RI-CENTRAL MIDDLESEX COUNTY MA-
CHESHIRE NH-DUKES MA-EASTERN ESSEX MA-EASTERN FRANKLIN MA-
EASTERN HAMPDEN MA-EASTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-EASTERN HILLSBOROUGH NH-
EASTERN KENT RI-EASTERN NORFOLK MA-EASTERN PLYMOUTH MA-HARTFORD CT-
NANTUCKET MA-NEWPORT RI-NORTHERN BRISTOL MA-NORTHERN WORCESTER MA-
NORTHWEST MIDDLESEX COUNTY MA-NORTHWEST PROVIDENCE RI-
SOUTHEAST MIDDLESEX MA-SOUTHEAST PROVIDENCE RI-SOUTHERN BRISTOL MA-
SOUTHERN PLYMOUTH MA-SOUTHERN WORCESTER MA-SUFFOLK MA-TOLLAND CT-
WASHINGTON RI-WESTERN AND CENTRAL HILLSBOROUGH NH-WESTERN ESSEX MA-
WESTERN FRANKLIN MA-WESTERN HAMPDEN MA-WESTERN HAMPSHIRE MA-
WESTERN KENT RI-WESTERN NORFOLK MA-WESTERN PLYMOUTH MA-WINDHAM CT-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...AMHERST...ATTLEBOROUGH...BARNSTABLE...
BARRINGTON...BEVERLY...BOSTON...BRISTOL...BROCKTON...BROOKLINE...
CAMBRIDGE...CHICOPEE...EAST HARTFORD...FALL RIVER...FALMOUTH...
FITCHBURG...FRAMINGHAM...FRANKLIN...GLOUCESTER...GREENFIELD...
HARTFORD...JAFFREY...KEENE...LAWRENCE...LEOMINSTER...LOWELL...LYNN...
MANCHESTER...MANSFIELD...MILFORD...NANTUCKET...NASHUA...
NEW BEDFORD...NEW BRITAIN...NEWBURYPORT...NEWINGTON...NEWPORT...
NEWTON...NORTH ATTLEBOROUGH...NORTHAMPTON...PLAINFIELD...PLYMOUTH...
PROVIDENCE...PUTNAM...QUINCY...SOMERVILLE...SOUTH KINGSTOWN...
SPRINGFIELD...TAUNTON...VERNON...VINEYARD HAVEN...WALTHAM...
WARWICK...WEST HARTFORD...WEYMOUTH...WILLIMANTIC...WINDSOR LOCKS...
WOONSOCKET AND WORCESTER
537 AM EDT SUN JUN 26 2005

THIS HAZARDOUS WEATHER OUTLOOK IS FOR SOUTHWEST NEW HAMPSHIRE...
MASSACHUSETTS EAST OF BERKSHIRE COUNTY...NORTH CENTRAL AND NORTHEAST
CONNECTICUT...AND ALL OF RHODE ISLAND.

.DAY ONE...
THE COMBINATION OF UNSTABLE AIR AND A WEAK FRONT IN OUR VICINITY WILL
PROVIDE THE CHANCE FOR SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS THIS AFTERNOON.  A
FEW MARGINALLY SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE THIS AFTERNOON
AND EVENING...WITH THE PRIMARY THREAT OF ISOLATED DAMAGING WIND
GUSTS.

.DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...
SCATTERED THUNDERSTORMS WILL BE POSSIBLE DURING TUESDAY INTO
FRIDAY...MAINLY IN THE AFTERNOON AND EVENING.  A MOSITURE RICH
ENVIRONMENT WILL BE OVER THE AREA DURING THIS PERIOD. AS A RESULT THE
POTENTIAL EXISTS FOR LOCALIZED HEAVY RAINFALL.

.SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT...

SPOTTER ACTIVATION MAY BE NEEDED FOR A FEW MARGINALLY SEVERE
THUNDERSTORMS SUNDAY AFTERNOON AND EVENING.

$$

SPC AC 261227

   DAY 1 CONVECTIVE OUTLOOK
   NWS STORM PREDICTION CENTER NORMAN OK
   0727 AM CDT SUN JUN 26 2005

   VALID 261300Z - 271200Z

   THERE IS A MDT RISK OF SVR TSTMS TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM BRD 35
   WSW STC HON PHP Y22 JMS FAR BRD.

   THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 75 NNW
   CMX IWD EAU RST FSD ANW LBF GLD LIC CYS DGW 45 NNE CPR 25 E WEY 10 N
   LVM 65 ENE BIL OLF 75 NW MOT.

   GEN TSTMS ARE FCST TO THE RIGHT OF A LINE FROM 60 NNW 3B1 60 WNW HUL
   HUL ...CONT... 15 SSW JFK 30 NE HGR 15 ESE MGW 45 SSE PKB 20 NNW SSU
   25 NE SBY ...CONT... 10 NNW BUF 20 SW UCA 35 NNW PBG ...CONT... 50
   NE CTB 25 SE HVR 65 W GGW 25 N GGW 55 N OLF ...CONT... 25 ESE DUG 35
   WNW SVC 60 E SOW 30 ENE INW 10 NNW FLG 20 NNE GCN 15 ENE U17 45 WNW
   GJT 40 SW RKS 10 NNW EVW 50 NNW BIH 45 E FAT 45 SSW TVL 20 ESE SVE
   50 NNE RBL 50 SW MHS 35 SSW MFR 70 NNW BNO 15 NNE PDT 50 WNW PUW 45
   ENE EPH 15 W EAT 50 W EAT 50 SSE BLI 25 NNE BLI ...CONT... 45 SSE
   DRT 25 SW HDO 10 ESE AUS 35 SSE FTW 30 ENE HUT 35 NW HUT 40 ESE DDC
   20 NNE GAG 40 NNE CDS 45 NNE BGS 45 SW MRF.

   ...THERE IS A MDT RISK OF SVR TSTMS THIS AFTERNOON AND EVENING OVER
   PARTS OF SD...ND...AND WESTERN MN...

   ...THERE IS A SLGT RISK OF SVR TSTMS ACROSS MUCH OF THE NORTHERN
   PLAINS AND UPPER MS VALLEY...

   BROAD UPPER TROUGH REMAINS CENTERED OVER THE WESTERN UNITED STATES
   THIS MORNING...WITH SEVERAL WEAK SHORTWAVE TROUGHS EMBEDDED IN
   SOUTHWEST FLOW FROM UT/AZ INTO THE NORTHERN PLAINS.  MODELS SUGGEST
   THAT TROUGH NOW OVER WESTERN UT WILL MOVE ACROSS WY AND INTO THE
   HIGH PLAINS BY LATE THIS AFTERNOON...SETTING THE STAGE FOR A
   POTENTIALLY ACTIVE SEVERE WEATHER EVENT OVER PARTS OF THE DAKOTAS
   AND MN.

   ...NEW ENGLAND...
   HOT/HUMID CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED TODAY OVER SOUTHERN NEW
   ENGLAND...AS WEAK SURFACE COLD FRONT APPROACHES THE AREA.  FORECAST
   SOUNDINGS FOR THIS AFTERNOON SHOW MLCAPE VALUES OVER 2500 J/KG...BUT
   WEAK LOW/DEEP LAYER VERTICAL SHEAR.  PRESENT INDICATIONS ARE THAT
   ISOLATED THUNDERSTORMS MAY DEVELOP FROM CENTRAL PA INTO MAINE...WITH
   LOCALLY GUSTY WINDS AND HAIL POSSIBLE. HOWEVER...LACK OF SUFFICIENT
   VERTICAL SHEAR IS EXPECTED TO LIMIT ORGANIZATION OF STORMS.
   THUS...WILL NOT ISSUE CATEGORICAL OUTLOOK FOR THIS REGION.

   ..HART/JEWELL.. 06/26/2005

   ...NOTICE...
   THE STATION RELATIVE POINTS IN THIS PRODUCT ARE NOW AVAILABLE
   SEPARATELY UNDER THE WMO HEADINGS WUUS01 PTSDY1...
   WUUS02 PTSDY2...WUUS03 PTSDY3.  THE INCLUSION OF POINTS
   IN THIS DISCUSSION WILL BE DISCONTINUED AFTER THE 2005
   CONVECTIVE SEASON.  A PUBLIC NOTIFICATION STATEMENT (PNS)
   WILL PROVIDE DETAILS ON THE TRANSITION.

NOUS41 KBOX 221712
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
110 PM EDT WED JUN 22 2005

...NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
...PART THREE - MEDICAL ASPECTS OF LIGHTNING...

THE UNITED STATES AVERAGES 73 REPORTED LIGHTNING DEATHS PER
YEAR...WHICH MAKES IT THE SECOND LARGEST STORM RELATED
KILLER...EXCEEDED ONLY BY FLASH FLOODS.  A LIGHTNING STRIKE CAN
RESULT IN CARDIAC ARREST AT THE TIME OF THE INJURY...BUT SOME DEATHS
CAN OCCUR A FEW DAYS LATER IF THE PERSON IS RESUSCITATED BUT
SUFFERED IRREVERSIBLE BRAIN DAMAGE.  BECAUSE THIS MAY OCCUR DAYS
LATER...THE NEWS STORY MAY NOT MAKE THE NEWSPAPER OR OTHER MEDIA
OUTLETS.  THUS...THERE IS AN UNDER REPORTING OF INJURIES AND DEATHS
FROM LIGHTNING.  THE FIGURES MORE REALISTICALLY ARE ABOUT 100 DEATHS
PER YEAR NATIONWIDE.

HOW DO LIGHTNING INJURIES AFFECT PEOPLE?  LIGHTNING TENDS TO BE A
NERVOUS SYSTEM INJURY AND MAY AFFECT THE BRAIN AND BOTH AUTONOMIC
AND PERIPHERAL NERVOUS SYSTEMS.  WHEN THE BRAIN IS AFFECTED...THE
PERSON OFTEN HAS DIFFICULTY WITH SHORT-TERM MEMORY...MULTI-TASKING...
AND CAN BE IRRITABLE...EASILY DISTRACTED...AND HAVE A PERSONALITY
CHANGE.  SURVIVORS INITIALLY MAY COMPLAIN OF INTENSE HEADACHES...
RINGING IN THE EARS...DIZZINESS...NAUSEA...VOMITING...OR OTHER
POST-CONCUSSION TYPES OF SYMPTOMS.  IRREGULAR SLEEP PATTERNS MAY
OCCUR.  SEIZURE-LIKE ACTIVITY MAY OCCUR WEEKS TO MONTHS AFTER THE
INJURY.

PEOPLE WHO WAKE UP AFTER THE INJURY OFTEN DO NOT HAVE THE ABILITY TO
EXPRESS WHAT IS WRONG WITH THEM AND MAY BECOME EMBARRASSED WHEN THEY
CANNOT CARRY ON A CONVERSATION.  AS A RESULT THEY MAY ISOLATE
THEMSELVES AND BECOME EASY TO ANGER.  DEPRESSION BECOMES A BIG
PROBLEM.  SURVIVORS OFTEN BECOME EXHAUSTED AFTER ONLY A FEW HOURS OF
WORK AND MAY NOT BE ABLE TO COMPLETE ALL REQUIRED JOB TASKS.

ANOTHER COMMON...OFTEN DELAYED...PROBLEM FOR SOME SURVIVORS IS
INTENSE PAIN.  THE PAIN MAY NOT BE FROM HEADACHES BUT IN THE
BACK...PERHAPS FROM COMPRESSION AND DISC INJURY FROM THE INTENSE
MUSCLE CONTRACTIONS WHICH MAY THROW A PERSON SEVERAL YARDS AT THE
TIME OF THE INJURY.  THE PAIN MAY ALSO OCCUR IN AN EXTREMITY...AS
NERVES BEGIN TO SLOWLY REGENERATE.  DECREASED LIBIDO AND IMPOTENCE
OFTEN ARE REPORTED.

ANATOMIC TESTING...SUCH AS AN X-RAY...CT SCAN...MRI...OR BLOOD TEST
OFTEN SHOW UP AS NORMAL.  SOMETIMES FUNCTIONAL TESTS ORDERED ARE
TESTING THE WRONG THING.  AN ELECTROMYOGRAM...OR EMG...MEASURES ONLY
THE MOTOR FIBERS...WHICH ARE SELDOM AFFECTED BY LIGHTNING INJURY.
SMALLER PAIN CARRYING NERVE FIBERS ARE NOT TESTED BY EMG.  THUS A
NORMAL EMG RESULT CAN MEAN LITTLE FOR SOMEONE WITH PAIN.  LIKEWISE...
THE STANDARD EEG PRIMARILY MEASURES SURFACE READINGS OF THE BRAIN
AND MISSES SEIZURE ACTIVITY IN SEVERAL DEEPER REGIONS.

MORE USEFUL IS A FUNCTIONAL TEST OF HOW A PERSON/S BRAIN IS
WORKING...NEUROCOGNITIVE OR NEUROPSYCHOLOGICAL TESTING.  THESE TESTS
ARE ADMINISTERED BY A NEUROPSYCHOLOGIST FAMILIAR WITH LITERATURE IN
THIS AREA...NOT BY A PSYCHIATRIST.  THESE ARE PEN AND PAPER TESTS
LASTING 6 TO 8 HOURS AND TEST MEMORY...IQ...ORGANIZATIONAL ABILITY...
ETC.  LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS USUALLY HAVE A CHARACTERISTIC
PATTERN OF DEFICITS.

HELP DOES EXIST FOR LIGHTNING STRIKE SURVIVORS AND PHYSICIANS
ALIKE.  FOR MORE INFORMATION ON THE WEB...GO TO
WWW.LIGHTNING-STRIKE.ORG OR CALL 1-910-346-4708.

$$
FIELD

NOUS41 KBOX 211540
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1140 AM EDT TUE JUN 21 2005

...NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
...PART TWO - THE SCIENCE OF A LIGHTNING STRIKE...

AT ANY GIVEN MOMENT THERE ARE 1800 THUNDERSTORMS IN PROGRESS
SOMEHWERE ON THE EARTH...WHICH AMOUNTS TO 16 MILLION THUNDERSTORMS
EACH YEAR!  LIGHTNING RESEARCHERS HAVE A BETTER UNDERSTANDING TODAY
OF THE PROCESS THAT PRODUCES LIGHTNING...BUT THERE IS STILL MUCH TO
LEARN ABOUT THE ROLE OF SOLAR FLARES IN THE UPPER ATMOSPHERE...THE
EARTH/S ELECTROMAGNETIC FIELD...AND ICE IN STORMS.  WE KNOW THE
CLOUD CONDITIONS NEEDED TO PRODUCE LIGHTNING BUT CANNOT FORECAST THE
LOCATION OR TIME OF THE NEXT STROKE OF LIGHTNING.

LIGHTNING OCCURS IN VOLCANIC ERUPTIONS...INTENSE FOREST FIRES...
SURFACE NUCLEAR DETONATIONS...HEAVY SNOWSTORMS...AND LARGE
HURRICANES...BUT IT IS MOST OFTEN SEEN IN THUNDERSTORMS.
THUNDERSTORMS FORM IN AIR THAT IS MOIST...UNSTABLE...AND HAS A
TRIGGER THAT CAUSES THE AIR TO RISE...SUCH AS A COLD FRONT.  RISING
MOTIONS IN THE STORM BUILD THE CLOUD TO AS HIGH AS 6 TO 10 MILES
ABOVE SEA LEVEL.  ICE FORMS IN THE HIGHER PARTS OF THE CLOUD.

THE ICE PARTICLES VARY FROM SMALL ICE CRYSTALS TO LARGE HAILSTONES.
THERE ARE A LOT OF COLLISIONS BETWEEN THE PARTICLES WHICH CAUSES A
SEPARATION OF ELECTRICAL CHARGES.  POSITIVELY CHARGED ICE CRYSTALS
RISE TO THE TOP OF THE STORM AND NEGATIVELY CHARGED PARTICLES AND
HAILSTONES DROP TO THE MIDDLE AND LOWER PARTS OF THE STORM.
ENORMOUS CHARGE DIFFERENCES DEVELOP.

A MOVING THUNDERSTORM GATHERS ANOTHER POOL OF POSITIVELY CHARGED
PARTICLES ALONG THE GROUND THAT TRAVEL WITH THE STORM.  POSITIVELY
CHARGED PARTICLES RISE UP TALLER OBJECTS SUCH AS TREES...HOUSES...
AND TELEPHONE POLES.  THE PARTICLES CAN EVEN MOVE UP YOU...HAVE YOU
EVER BEEN UNDER A THUNDERSTORM AND HAD YOUR HAIR STAND UP? IF SO...
YOU MAY BE THE LIGHTNING TARGET.

THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA IN THE STORM SENDS OUT A CHARGE TOWARD
THE GROUND CALLED A STEPPED LEADER.  IT IS INVISIBLE TO THE HUMAN
EYE.  WHEN IT GETS CLOSE TO THE GROUND...IT IS ATTRACTED BY ALL OF
THESE POSITIVELY CHARGED OBJECTS AND A CHANNEL DEVELOPS.  YOU SEE
THE ELECTRICAL TRANSFER IN THIS CHANNEL AS LIGHTNING.  THERE MAY BE
SEVERAL RETURN STROKES OF ELECTRICITY WITHIN THE ESTABLISHED CHANNEL
THAT YOU WILL SEE AS FLICKERING LIGHTNING.  THE LIGHTNING CHANNEL
HEATS RAPIDLY TO 30,000 DEGREES OR MORE AND THE RAPID EXPANSION OF
HEATED AIR CAUSES THE THUNDER.  SINCE LIGHT TRAVELS FASTER THAN
SOUND IN THE ATMOSPHERE...THE SOUND IS HEARD AFTER THE LIGHTNING.
IF YOU SEE LIGHTNING AND HEAR THUNDER AT ALMOST THE SAME TIME...THE
LIGHTNING IS IN YOUR NEIGHBORHOOD!

NOT ALL LIGHTNING FORMS IN THE NEGATIVELY CHARGED AREA LOW IN THE
THUNDERSTORM CLOUD.  SOME ORIGINATES IN THE CIRRUS ANVIL AT THE TOP
OF THE STORM WHERE THERE IS A LARGE POSITIVE CHARGE.  A STRIKE
ORIGINATING IN THIS AREA IS CALLED A POSITIVE FLASH.  IT IS
PARTICULARLY DANGEROUS FOR SEVERAL REASONS.  IT FREQUENTLY STRIKES
AHEAD OF OR BEHIND A THUNDERSTORM...AWAY FROM THE RAIN AREA...THUS
CATCHING PEOPLE BY SURPRISE...LIKE A BOLT FROM THE BLUE.  POSITIVE
STRIKES TYPICALLY LAST LONGER...SO FIRES ARE MORE EASILY IGNITED.
ALSO...THEY USUALLY CARRY A HIGH PEAK ELECTRICAL CURRENT WHICH
INCREASES THE LIGHTNING RISK TO AN INDIVIDUAL.

$$
FIELD

NOUS41 KBOX 201402
PNSBOX

PUBLIC INFORMATION STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE TAUNTON MA
1000 AM EDT MON JUN 20 2005

...NATIONAL LIGHTNING SAFETY PREPAREDNESS WEEK...
...PART ONE - LIGHTNING SAFETY OUTDOORS...

EACH YEAR...ABOUT 400 CHILDREN AND ADULTS IN THE UNITED STATES ARE
STRUCK BY LIGHTNING WHILE WORKING OUTSIDE...AT SPORTS EVENTS...ON
THE BEACH...MOUNTAIN CLIMBING...MOWING THE LAWN...OR DURING OTHER
OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES.  ABOUT 80 PEOPLE ARE KILLED AND SEVERAL HUNDRED
MORE ARE LEFT TO COPE WITH PERMANENT DISABILITIES.  MANY OF THESE
TRAGEDIES CAN BE AVOIDED.  FINISHING THE GAME...GETTING A TAN...OR
COMPLETING A WORK SHIFT ARE NOT WORTH DEATH OR CRIPPLING INJURY.

LIGHTNING OFTEN STRIKES AS MUCH AS 20 MILES AWAY FROM ANY RAINFALL.
THERE HAS EVEN BEEN A DOCUMENTED CASE OF LIGHTNING STRIKING 34 MILES
AWAY FROM THE RAIN IN THE THUNDERSTORM.  AT LEAST 10 PERCENT OF
LIGHTNING OCCURS WITHOUT ANY VISIBLE CLOUDS IN THE SKY...JUST BLUE
SKY.  MANY OF LIGHTNING FATALITIES OCCUR AHEAD OF THE STORM BECAUSE
PEOPLE TRY AND WAIT UNTIL THE LAST MINUTE BEFORE SEEKING SHELTER.
YOU ARE IN DANGER IF YOU CAN HEAR THUNDER.  THAT MEANS LIGHTNING IS
CLOSE ENOUGH THAT IT COULD STRIKE YOUR LOCATION AT ANY MOMENT.

ON AVERAGE...20 PERCENT OF LIGHTNING STRIKE VICTIMS DIE...80 PERCENT
SURVIVE BUT 70 PERCENT OF THEM SUFFER SERIOUS LONG-TERM EFFECTS.

HERE ARE SOME LIGHTNING SAFETY RULES.

1. POSTPONE ACTIVITIES PROMPTLY AND DO NOT WAIT FOR THE RAIN.  GO
QUICKLY INSIDE A COMPLETELY ENCLOSED BUILDING...NOT A CARPORT...OPEN
GARAGE...OR COVERED PATIO.  IF NO ENCLOSED BUILDING IS AVAILABLE...
GET INSIDE A HARD-TOPPED METAL VEHICLE.  THE STEEL FRAME OF THE
VEHICLE PROVIDES PROTECTION IF YOU ARE NOT TOUCHING METAL.

2. BE THE LOWEST POINT.  LIGHTNING LIKES TO STRIKE THE TALLEST
OBJECTS.  IF HIKING IN THE MOUNTAINS AND ABOVE THE TREE LINE...YOU
ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT.  QUICKLY GET BELOW TREE LINE AND GET INTO A
GROVE OF SMALL TREES.  ASIDE FROM THIS SITUATION HOWEVER...YOU
SHOULD AVOID TREES.  IF YOU ARE IN AN OPEN FIELD...LIKE A FARM OR A
BASEBALL OR SOCCER FIELD...YOU ARE THE TALLEST OBJECT.  DUGOUTS OR
GAZEBOS AFFORD LITTLE PROTECTION.  IF YOU CANNOT GET TO AN ENCLOSED
BUILDING OR VEHICLE...CROUCH DOWN ON THE BALLS OF YOUR FEET.

3. KEEP AN EYE TO THE SKY FOR DARKENING CLOUDS AND LISTEN FOR
THUNDER. IF YOU CAN HEAR IT...GO TO A SAFE SHELTER IMMEDIATELY.

4. GET OFF OF BICYCLES AND MOTORCYCLES.  DO NOT LEAN ON VEHICLES.

5. WATER IS A GREAT CONDUCTOR OF ELECTRICITY.  GET OUT OF THE WATER
IF BOATING OR SWIMMING.  GET OFF THE BEACH.  DO NOT STAND IN
PUDDLES...EVEN IF WEARING RUBBER BOOTS.

6. AVOID METAL. DO NOT HOLD GOLF CLUBS...FISHING RODS...TENNIS
RACQUETS...OR TOOLS.  LARGE METAL OBJECTS CAN CONDUCT LIGHTNING.
SMALL METAL OBJECTS...SUCH AS BELT BUCKLES...CAN CAUSE BURNS.

7. STAY SEVERAL YARDS AWAY FROM OTHER PEOPLE.  DO NOT SHARE A
BLEACHER OR BENCH OR HUDDLE IN A GROUP.

8. LISTEN TO NOAA WEATHER RADIO.  FIRST TO FIND OUT IF THUNDERSTORMS
ARE IN THE FORECAST.  NEXT...LISTEN TO HEAR ANY SHORT TERM FORECASTS
ABOUT THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY.  ALSO...LISTEN TO HEAR IF THE WARNING
ALARM TONE HAS BEEN ACTIVATED FOR SEVERE THUNDERSTORMS IN YOUR
AREA...WHICH PRODUCE DAMAGING WINDS AND LARGE HAIL IN ADDITION TO
LIGHTNING STRIKES.

MORE DETAILED INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON THE INTERNET AT
WWW.LIGHTNINGSAFETY.NOAA.GOV .

$$

GAF

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Pager #: (508) 354-3142
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
Work Phone #: 508-346-2929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo at rcn.com
http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo