[PHX-Skywarn] SKYWARN, Arkansas, Missouri Storms

[Allen Sklar]

Via the ARRL Letter
12/27/02

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==>SKYWARN, ARES ACTIVATE FOR ARKANSAS, MISSOURI STORMS

The same front that produced tornado activity in Mississippi on December
19 earlier touched Arkansas and Missouri with devastating and deadly
effect. After nearly a year without any significant tornado activity,
Arkansas was again at the heart of severe weather December 18. Tornadoes
hit several counties in Missouri December 17 and 18. One person died in
each state a direct result of the severe weather.

The National Weather Service (NWS) activated SKYWARN at approximately 2 PM
in Arkansas, and participants remained active until after 11 PM. Little
Rock Emergency Coordinator Dale Temple, W5RXU, reports that the NWS issued
48 warnings during the nine-hour net. Temple also is president of Arkansas
SKYWARN.

Temple said NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist John Robinson and
Meteorologist-In-Charge Renee Fair praised the accuracy and dedication of
the Arkansas SKYWARN volunteers.

In Arkansas, hail up to two inches in diameter, heavy rain up to six
inches, damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes developed in Desha,
Faulkner, Lincoln, Prairie, Saline, Woodruff, Jackson, Lonoke, White and
Cross counties.

At the request of American Red Cross Arkansas State Disaster Director
Roger Elliot, Richard Thompson, W5SUB, fired up the Amateur Radio station
at Red Cross Headquarters to help coordinate the organization's efforts to
provide needed services to about 85 families whose homes had been damaged
or destroyed by the severe weather. "Mr Elliot credited ham radio
operators in assisting the Red Cross to mobilize more quickly and
accurately to needy victims," Temple said.

Arkansas SKYWARN, the Central Arkansas Radio Emergency Net, Pulaski
County, Little Rock and North Little Rock ARES/RACES actively supported
state and local emergency management agencies as well as the Red Cross,
The Salvation Army and area hospitals.

In central and southern Missouri, several Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES) teams activated the night of December 17 when severe weather
struck. There were multiple instances of rainfall greater than one inch
per hour, and hail was reported in several counties. Missouri SEC Don
Moore, KM0R, said that in a couple of instances, the NWS issued severe
thunderstorm warnings shortly after ARES reports came in.

Reports filed with the St Louis NWS Office included heavy rain, hail and
damaging wind speeds. "There was a tornado reported in Laclede County that
moved into Pulaski County, along with damaging wind speeds in excess of 75
MPH in another area during the early morning hours of December 18," Moore
said. Tornado activity was also reported in Springfield and the
surrounding area. Hams also worked with the Springfield NWS Office.

Linked repeater systems were used to pass information to the respective
NWS offices and among local nets. Some five dozen hams involved in the
response in three ARES districts logged double-digit work hours. Several
county emergency coordinators said they monitored the statewide HF
frequency for the Missouri Emergency Services Net in case there was
traffic to pass. They also kept in contact with local governments and
other served agencies in case Amateur Radio volunteers were needed.