[KYHAM] Kentucky ARES Op's May 25-31, 04

Tue Jun 1 17:42:35 EDT 2004

The period from May 25 through May 31, 2004 was an unsettled one
throughout Kentucky. The following details some of the reported operations
that involved amateur rasdio and ends in a damage total state-wide.

At 9:00 PM EDT May 25, 2004, Amateurs in Meade, Breckinridge, Jefferson,
Hardin and Hancock Counties took part in a SkyWarn session over the Wide
Area Repeaters Net using 3 repeaters linked together for the operations.
Storms moved into area and brought high winds, torrential rain and small
hail up to nickel sized.  During one episode in the storms an 18 wheeler
overturned in Brandenburg of Meade County at Powers Paper Company spilling
diesel and engine oil on the rain flooded ground causing a danger to a
nearby drainage system. Fire and county EMA responded and used local
amateur radio repeater as a part of the response. Cell phones were
sporadic in operation and power was off to half the town for over an hour.
4 homes were damaged by trees being blown over on them.

6:00 PM EDT May 26, 2004, Kentucky Amateur Radio Society (Bardstown/Nelson
County area club) Weather Net, trained spotters provided reports that were
relayed to the Nelson County Emergency Management and the National Weather
Service.

4:10 PM EDT 5/27/04 Amateurs in Lincoln County provided communications for
Lincoln County EM in the aftermath of a tornado that damaged the community
of King's Moutainn and a train that was passing through at the time of the
tornado.  Amateurs set up communications in the Mobile Command Post using
2 meter simplex, the local 2 meter repeater, crossband repeat mobiles and
a 440 repeater. Operations terminated at 9:30 PM that evening.

>From 6:45 PM EDT on May 27 through 1:00 AM EDT May 28 the Wide Area
Repeaters Net was again in session as a number of severe storms moved just
north of the area in the evening hours of May 27. WARN monitored their
motion from 6:45 until 11:40 PM when they began to encroach upon net
coverage area from the NW. WARN was activated in full session at 11:30 PM
EDT as strong storms approached from the NW. NWS issued a Sev.
Thunderstorm Warning for Hancock & Breckinridge Counties at 11:42 PM EDT. 
NWS issued a Sev. Thunderstorm Warning for Meade County at 11:47 as the
storms rolled through.  KA4MAP (MCEMA) advised 911 to activate storm
sirens due to the radar imaging showing turbulence.  At 11:57 NWS advised
via WARN Net of a rotation aloft approx 5 miles to the west of
Brandenburg.  Units on amateur radio and public safety frequencies were
advised to observe.  At 12:08, NWS again gave coordinates near 3 mi. east
of Brandenburg.  All units again advised.  At 12:11 a Tornado Warning was
issued for Meade County, Sirens again activated by 911.  At 12:12 AM EDT,
a Fire Unit advised had a funnel cloud confirmed over the Doe Valley area
moving east at 10-15 mph. KA4MAP advised NWS via WARN Network. Additional
warnings were issued for Hardin and Bullitt County based on this info and
radar data. No damage other than downed trees and lines was reported.
Power was out in some areas for a time. WARN cleared at 01:10 AM EDT May
28 after storms had left the region.

Lexington/Fayette County ARES activated from 9:00 PM EDT through 3 AM the
next morning as the largest tornado in 50 years ripped through town.
According to the NWS Storm Damage Survey, storms had 100 mph
straight line winds containing a tornado that produced up to
F3 level damage (160-170 MPH) at the peak with other F1-F2
damage.  Path width 150 yds, length 3 miles.

5 injured (all non-life threatening)
150 homes damaged.  50 of which had moderate-severe damage
Multiple roofs off warehouses and horse barns (0 horses hurt)
Significant number of large trees downed
Utilitiy poles and lines down
15,000 in the area lost power

Kentucky Amateur Radio Society WX Net provided spotter support for Nelson
County EMA yet again on May 28 from 1:55 AM EDT through 5:39 AM
that morning as storms with strong winds again rolled through the county.

3rd District ARES WX net activated at 3:25 pm and closed at 3:45 pm on
5/30/04. The net activated when sirens were blown for a reported funnel
cloud in SE Daviess Co near Philpot.  A second activation occurred at 9:05
pm - Closed @ 9:30 PM CDT as a storm approached. District 3 Net was
activated with 2 mobiles dispatched to key locations and 2 stations
dispatched to EMA.  No severe damage occurred on either occasion.

The Wide Area Repeaters Net remained in stand by mode or in activation
status all afternoon Sunday May 31 as storms producing funnel clouds and
tornadoes almost faster than NWS warnings could be issued raged through
North Central Ky and Southern Indiana. At 9:17 PM EDT a line of storms
moved back into the area of the WARN Net and continued through 1 AM the
next morning.  Nearly every county had wind damage and several funnel
clouds were reported to the NWS including one large funnel in Meade County
heading eastward within less than 2 miles of the 146.625 repeater at
Payneville, Ky at 10:32 PM Emergency Management Agencies and NWS
Louisville were all receiving input from this net including the state EOC
through the Brooks 146.700 machine.

Just across the Ohio River from Meade County, Ky. the small town of
Marengo, Indiana was 80% destroyed as an F-3 twister ripped the small
community apart about at about 3:25PM EDT and then traveled yet another 19
miles before dissipating. One death resulted and a Ky team of search dogs
and handlers responded to the town using amateur radio as their
communications medium for the operation.

Lincoln and Boyle County amateurs were pressed into service again at 11:30
PM until the early morning hours. Major wind damage occurred in the county
including trees down and a power outage at the repeater site, but the net
ran all night on battery backup and assisted Lincoln EMA with information.

Monday, May 31, 2004 0237Z Ky. Amateur Radio Society Weather Net. Wx
spotters support Nelson County EMA spotter activities and the National
Weather Service as storms again roared across Nelson County with high
winds and hail.

In all on May 30 - early hours of May 31, 2004; confirmed tornadoes struck
in; McCracken County, Todd County, Hopkins County, Jefferson County,
Oldham County, Daviess County, Mercer County and Webster County. A total
of 27 counties reported wind damage, 25 experienced flooding, 10 counties
had mud slides, 5 persons have been known to have died and 1 person died
as a result of lightening strike in Breckinridge County.

This covers all information reported to the Ky SEC as of June 1, 2004.

73,
Ron Dodson, KA4MAP
SEC Ky