SKYWARN Newsletter #204

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Hello to all...

SKYWARN Training Schedule Update...

Severe Weather Preparedness Week in the NWS Taunton County Warning Area...

Major Severe Weather Outbreak Spanning 10 Days in Central and Southeast US...

Hurricane Presentation and P3 Plane Well Received in New Bedford, Mass...

National Hurricane Center Hurricane Awareness Week May 19th-May 23rd, 2003...

Rob Macedo-KD1CY presented with 2003 Earth Day NOAA Environmental Hero Award...

ARRL Letter Article: Hams Help in the Wake of Midwest and Southeast US Tornadoes...

ARRL Letter Article: Hams Wrap-Up Assistance in Wake of Tornadoes...

ARRL Bulletin: National Hurricane Center Annual Test Announced...

Newsletter Issued: 5/18/03.

SKYWARN Training Schedule Update...

We are roughly slightly more than half way through the SKYWARN Training

session and were proud to announce that 2 more training sessions are

now on the docket.

Thanks to the efforts of David Rudzik, Holyoke Emergency Management

Director, there is now an additional SKYWARN training sessions at

the Dean Technical High School in Holyoke, Massachusetts.

In addition, thanks to the efforts of Bill Ricker, N1VUX, and the MIT

Radio Club, there is now an additional SKYWARN training session at the

Massachusetts Institute of Technology in Cambridge, Massachusetts.

Reviews of the past SKYWARN training sessions completed to date will

be given in the next SKYWARN Newsletter.

The rest of the training sessions for 2003 along with the two additional

sites listed above are listed in the schedule below and at the following

web address:

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo/trsched.htm

Here is the complete list of remaining training sessions:

05/19/2003 7-10PM Nashua City Hall

Mon. 229 Main Street

Nashua, NH

05/20/2003 7-10PM Tiger's Pride Restaurant

Tues. Westfield Vocational Technical High School

33 Smith Avenue

Westfield, MA

05/31/2003 Noon-3PM Manchester Masonic Hall

Sat. 585 Wasington Street Route 117

Coventry, RI

06/03/2003 6:30-9:30PM Dean Technical High School Cafeteria

Tues. 1045 Main Street

Holyoke, Mass.

06/07/2003 12:30PM-3:30PM Massachusetts Institute of Technology (Room 6-120)

Sat. 182 Memorial Drive (rear) and 77th Massachusetts Avenue

Cambridge, MA

06/09/2003 7-10PM Worcester Emergency Management Operations Center

Mon. 50 Skyline Drive

Worcester, MA

06/10/2003 6:30-9:30PM Nantucket Fire Department EOC

Tues. 131 Lower Pleasant Street

Nantucket, MA

06/18/2003 7-10PM Pioneer Valley Regional High School

Wed. Route 10

Northfield, MA

Severe Weather Preparedness Week in the NWS Taunton County Warning Area...

Severe Weather Preparedness Week was this past week from May 12th-May 16th.

The National Weather Service in Taunton, Massachusetts issued

Public Information Statements with Severe Weather and Flood Safety rules

throughout the week as the states within Southern New England and NWS

Taunton declare this week Severe Weather Preparedness Week. The Public

Information Statements will be posted all as one email to the newsletter

list.

Major Severe Weather Outbreak Spanning 10 Days in Central and Southeast US...

A Major Severe Weather Outbreak Spanning 10 days smacked much of the

Central and Southeast United States with powerful straightline microburst

and macroburst winds, small tornadoes and several large tornadoes. A storm

system parked itself just east of the Rockies tapped Gulf of Mexico moisture

and that moisture, heat and humidity clashed with cooler and drier air

to bring the most severe weather to ever be seen in a 10 day period

across the Midwest and Southeast US. By the end of the period, even

parts of Central New York and Central Pennsylvania were impacted by

isolated microbursts and weak tornadoes of the F0-F1 category along

with numerous reports of large hail.

As of this newsletter writing, the number of Severe Weather Reports

and tornadoes were still being tabulated and made official but close

to 400 tornadoes occurred during this span across much of the United

States and that would make this the largest outbreak of tornadoes ever

in such a short time period. Further details with pictures and links

to data will be posted in another article in the next SKYWARN

Newsletter.

While Southern New England escaped this event, it is noted that Severe

Weather Season will most likely be starting in the next 2-4 weeks and

we have already had a couple of near misses as far as severe weather

events in the region. Now is the time to be prepared for potential

SKYWARN activations as the weather becomes more favorable for severe

weather events in Southern New England.

Hurricane Presentation and P3 Plane Well Received in New Bedford, Mass...

The P3 Hurricane Hunter Aircraft was in New Bedford, Massachusetts as

part of an Atlantic Tour of the P3 aircraft at various points across

the United States. The plane was in New Bedford on Tuesday May 6th

from 3:30-5:30 PM followed by a Hurricane Presentation by both NWS

Taunton and National Hurricane Center Officials from 7-8:30 PM hosted

by NSTAR and New Bedford Emergency Management.

Along with people that actually fly the aircraft, dignitaries from

the National Hurricane Center were also present. These

people included Hurricane Specialist, Stacey Stewart, NOAA-NHC Public

Relations Officer, Frank Lepore and Director of the National Hurricane

Center, Max Mayfield.

Despite a misty and rainy day, lines were long to get into the P3 Plane

during the day and people seemed to enjoy the visit to the plane. Several

news crews from both Boston and Providence, RI media outlets were

present at the plane viewing.

The Hurricane Presentation was held at the New Bedford High School.

Bob Thompson, Meteorologist-In-Charge, was the Master of Ceremonies.

Dave Vallee gave his usual exciting and energetic Hurricane Presentation,

alerting everyone to the threat of New England hurricanes and the long

period of time since the last hurricane hit Southern New England and

in particular that its been 50 years since a major hurricane hit the

region.

The presentation was then turned over to Max Mayfield, Director of the

National Hurricane Center. He gave an excellent presentation to the

audience on advances at the National Hurricane Center and many of the

threats hurricanes pose to the region. He told the audience that the

threats and damage pictures seen in other areas of the Southeast US

and Gulf states could easily affect Southern New England and told

people not to be complacent.

Glenn Field, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, then gave an overview

of NWS Taunton products issued when hurricanes threaten the area. He

also discussed when the NOAA WX Radio transmitters in the region will

begin to broadcast National Hurricane Center advisories on tropical

systems.

After the presentation, I had the privilege to have dinner with both

NWS Taunton forecasters and NHC Director Max Mayfield. Max Mayfield

stated that he is tremendously impressed with the capability of Amateur

Radio and his coordinators at the National Hurricane Center in Miami,

Florida, John McHugh KU4GY and Julio Ripoll WD4JR. He stated that they

can get reports from the Carribean and many other areas that they would

not get any information from otherwise. If it weren't for the Amateurs

in these situations, the National Hurricane Center would not be able

to get information needed from the affected areas where hurricanes hit.

Max Mayfield also described how even he was amazed by the destruction

of Hurricane Andrew when it hit the Southern Florida region. Certain

homes despite excellent construction were flattened by the power of

Andrew and it highlighted the awesome power of Mother Nature. As he

partially stated in his presentation but reiterated and highlighted

a specific example over dinner, the Miami building code was one of the

strictest in the nation but despite that some shortcomings in how

certain parts of homes were not tied down in certain sections

resulted in the destruction of many homes.

It was a great presentation and plane tour and it was also a great

experience to have dinner with the Director of the National Hurricane

Center.

National Hurricane Center Hurricane Awareness Week May 19th-May 23rd, 2003...

The National Hurricane Center will have its annual Hurricane Awareness

Week from May 19th-May 23rd 2003. Please check the National Hurricane

Center Web Site for information on Hurricane Hazards, Forecasting, History

and Prepartion information for hurricanes. The NHC web site is at the

following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Rob Macedo-KD1CY presented with 2003 Earth Day NOAA Environmental Hero Award...

It was a busy and surprising week last week as I was awarded the NOAA

Environmental Award. It is a nationwide award that is awarded to 36

participants who assist NOAA on a volunteer basis nationwide. Also,

I was given a certificate for making the final round of nominees for

the Boston Executive Board Outstanding Federal Volunteer Award. At this

same Boston Executive Board Ceremony, Donna Dumas from NWS Taunton, made

the final round of nominees for Best Administrative Assistant and Glenn

Field, KB1GHX, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, made the final round

of nominees for Outstanding Customer Service. It was a pleasure to be

at the ceremony with Glenn Field, Donna Dumas, Bob Thompson,

Meteorologist-In-Charge for NWS Taunton and Mike Neilsen, W1MPN,

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator.

These awards were quite a honor and were quite surprising to me, however,

it would not be accomplished without the support from the hundreds

of hams and volunteer weather spotters who have been truly dedicated

to the cause of protecting life and property by timely severe weather

reporting which is the fundamental mission of the SKYWARN program. It

also could not be done without the effort of the nearly 2-3 dozen SKYWARN

Coordinators across the 4 state region that NWS Taunton. Their tireless

effort and dedication to this program is what has brought the program

to where it is today. These awards are not just a reflection on me but

a reflection among all of you who have given your dedicated support to

the SKYWARN program.

Below is a write-up from long time friend and one of two SKYWARN Coordinators

serving the Greater Boston Area, Bill Ricker, N1VUX:

Rob Macedo, KD1CY, EMA DEC for SKYWARN and Southern New England Ham

Coordinator for NWS WFO BOX's 4-state SKYWARN program, was awarded one of

only 36 nation-wide NOAA Environmental Hero awards for Earth Day 2003. The

award was presented by Glenn Field, Warning Coordination Meteorologist, NWS

BOX, with the assistance of Robert Thompson, M.I.C., and Mark M. Mahoney,

New Bedford Emergency Management Director. Presentation was made as a

surprise at the annual Hurricane Workshop, at New Bedford High School, only

a few miles from Rob's home in New Bedford. Also congratulating Rob was the

keynote speaker, Max Mayfield, Director of the NWS Tropical Prediction

Center & National Hurricane Center. Of the 36 nation-wide awards, only 9

were NWS sponsored, and of those, only two others were SKYWARN volunteers

(Alabama & Michigan); the rest are government EMD or related staff and a

broadcast meteorologist. Of the 36, 5 were posthumous and one was

institutional.

The general citation is http://www.noaa.gov/earthday/

<<The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration this year

presented its Environmental Hero Award to 35 individuals and one

organization from across the United States and around the world. Held in

conjunction with Earth Day celebrations, the award honors NOAA volunteers

for their "tireless efforts to preserve and protect our nation's

environment."

"NOAA and the nation are fortunate to have such dedicated people

volunteer so much of their time," said retired Navy Vice Adm. Conrad C.

Lautenbacher, Ph.D., undersecretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere

and NOAA administrator. "They set a perfect example for others to follow in

their communities. America needs more environmental heroes like them."

Established in 1995 to commemorate the 25th anniversary of Earth

Day, the Environmental Hero award is presented to individuals and

organizations that volunteer their time and energy to help NOAA carry out

its mission. Previous recipients include oceanographers Jean-Michel Cousteau

and Sylvia Earle, and actor Ted Danson, head of the American Oceans

Campaign.

"On behalf of the 12,500 men and women working for the National

Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, I am pleased to present you with

this 2003 Environmental Hero Award," Lautenbacher wrote in a letter to the

recipients. "Your dedicated efforts and outstanding accomplishments greatly

benefit the environment and make our nation a better place for all

Americans.">>

The short-form of Rob's citation http://www.noaa.gov/earthday/#macedo

reads:

<<Robert Macedo, a full-time senior engineer with Works at EMC Corp.

in New Bedford, Mass., has been the SKYWARN Coordinator for NWS-Taunton

since 1994. He has helped the program grow from 800 weather spotters in

southern New England (1994) to 3,500 (2003). He drafts and distributes his

own e-mail newsletter to more than 700 key spotters and emergency managers,

organizes NWS training sessions and uses his personal time to promote the

NWS mission. Because of Macedo's efforts, the NWS receives more real-time

reports than ever before, thus having a direct, immediate and positive

impact on NWS warning operations. He has also assisted NOAA in surveying

storm damage and the implementation and testing of the new high frequency

tower/antenna now in place at NWS-Taunton. >>

NOAA Press Release:

http://www.publicaffairs.noaa.gov/releases2003/apr03/noaa03044.html

NOAA EarthDay homepage with award list: http://www.noaa.gov/earthday/

<http://www.noaa.gov/earthday/>

Amateur Radio Web Page Press Releases:

http://ares.ema.arrl.org/

http://www.w1smh.com/pages/e_news.html

Hurricane Workshop: http://www.erh.noaa.gov/er/box/hurrHunter.shtml

ARRL Letter Article: Hams Help in the Wake of Midwest and Southeast US Tornadoes...

The following article is from the ARRL Letter concerning the events

of the Severe Weather Outbreak across the Midwest and Southeast US:

==>AMATEURS SUPPORT TORNADO RELIEF-RECOVERY EFFORTS

Amateurs in Missouri, Kansas, and Tennessee this week continued relief and

recovery support in the wake of a severe outbreak of deadly tornadoes May

4 that also affected other states. Oklahoma City-area amateurs responded

to assist after a tornado hit that region May 8. At week's end, the death

toll from the May 4 storms stood at 40; many more were injured, and

countless homes and other structures were damaged or destroyed. Thousands

of residents in the stricken areas were left without power or telephone

service. Those left homeless by the storms have been taking refuge in Red

Cross shelters or with friends or relatives. Amateur Radio operators have

been assisting in damage assessment as well as providing communication

support for the Red Cross and The Salvation Army's shelter and feeding

efforts.

In Kansas, ARRL Section Manager Ron Cowan, KB0DTI, reports severe damage

in two counties, with houses destroyed and utilities out in the path of

the twister. The tornado remained on the ground for 90 minutes, plowing

through Leavenworth and Wyandotte counties in Kansas before crossing the

border into Platte and Clay counties in Missouri. The funnel cloud finally

lifted northeast of Kansas City.

"Wyandotte/Kansas City RACES was active with spotting and later damage

assessment," Cowan said. RACES went on standby on May 5. Johnson County

Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES) opened a VHF net, coordinated by EC

and Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN) Coordinator June

Jeffers, KB0WEQ, within 30 minutes of touchdown. SATERN members and other

ham radio volunteers assisted Salvation Army canteens that rolled in

immediately after the storm.

Cowan said Crawford County in southeastern Kansas also suffered major

damage. Most affected was the area north of Pittsburg and the communities

of Girard and Franklin, which were right in the storm's path.

In Missouri, ARRL Section Emergency Coordinator Don Moore, KM0R, said

tornado damage was reported throughout the greater Kansas City area. Moore

has been posting updates on the Missouri Section ARES Web site

<http://www.ares-mo.org/may0403storms.asp>. He said multiple

nets--including ARES, Radio Amateur Civil Emergency Service and

SKYWARN--relayed storm information to emergency officials on May 4 and

later assisted with damage assessment. The National Weather Service

credited ham radio operators with dozens of storm-related reports over the

weekend.

Hams in Pierce City--in the direct path of one tornado and especially hard

hit--were using a repeater in nearby Aurora to supplement public safety

communication. Hams in Southwest Missouri also handled health-and-welfare

inquiries via the Missouri Traffic Net (3963 kHz).

In West Tennessee, May 4 marked the second time in four years that the

Jackson-Madison County area was devastated by tornadoes. "Lives were lost

and people injured," said Madison County EC Kenny Johns, AB4EG.

Some 27,000 residents remain without power, Johns reported, adding that

the tornado made a direct hit on the emergency operations center. The

storm also did not spare the sheriff's department, the post office or the

federal building in Jackson.

"First day was shock, second day was just deciding what to do first, third

day recovery was well under way, fourth day there was more hope, help and

a great county spirit," Johns said.

Johns said an ARES net was in operation in West Tennessee. "Right now we

are able to handle it," he said at week's end. "Hams from surrounding

counties are helping. Their efforts have been appreciated." Even as the

massive cleanup effort began, forecasters were calling for additional

severe weather in the days ahead. Flooding from continued heavy rains was

an additional complication.

In Oklahoma, ARRL Section Manager John Thomason, WB5SYT, reports that

amateurs responded "within minutes" of a tornado that struck the Oklahoma

City area May 8. They remained in place at week's end. More than 100

people reportedly were injured, and the tornado leveled or damaged

hundreds of structures, including a General Motors manufacturing plant.

Hardest hit was the suburb of Moore. The storm left more than 30,000 homes

without power.

"Emergency communication, delivering supplies to Salvation Army canteens

and helping with health and welfare are in process," Thomason said. "This

tornado hit some of the same areas as did the F5 tornado of May 1999." The

1999 storm claimed nearly 50 lives.

To keep an open frequency for amateurs to support The Salvation Army's

relief efforts, the FCC has declared a general communications emergency

for the Oklahoma area. Effective immediately, amateurs are required to

refrain from using 3900 kHz, plus or minus 3 kHz, unless they are taking

part in the handling of emergency traffic. The order remains in effect

until rescinded.

"The Amateur Radio effort will be under way for some time," Thomason said.

In a message to his Section, Thomason advised patience with the public,

the process and other Amateur Radio volunteers. "By pulling together

during these times the public, which desperately needs our help,

benefits," he said.

ARRL Letter Article: Hams Wrap-Up Assistance in Wake of Tornadoes...

The following is an additional article issued during the past week

as Hams wrap-up assistance in the Plains States and Southeast US:

==>HAM RADIO TORNADO RESPONSE WINDS DOWN

ARRL Oklahoma Section Manager John Thomason, WB5SYT, said this week that

the intense Amateur Radio relief and recovery effort following two

tornadoes earlier this month in the Oklahoma City area was "winding down

quickly." The FCC rescinded a general communications emergency on 3900 kHz

in the Oklahoma area last weekend. Responding amateurs in Oklahoma

supported relief activities of The Salvation Army following storms May 8

and 9. Amateurs also provided weather-spotting via the SKYWARN system and

handled emergency and health-and-welfare traffic and assisted with damage

assessment.

"Amateur Radio responded quickly and thoroughly," Thomason said, adding

that hams from the Oklahoma City area as well as other parts of the state

turned out to help in what he called "a very challenging and changing

environment." Some 50 amateurs were involved in the Oklahoma response,

Thomason said. The storms struck just a day after some 30 of the hams

involved had attended a two-day Salvation Army-sponsored disaster

conference.

The Oklahoma storms capped a week that some have been calling the worst

ever for tornado outbreaks. On May 4, tornadoes struck the both sides of

the border in the Kansas City area as well as in other parts of Kansas.

Tornadoes that spun off the same weather system also hit parts of

Tennessee and other states.

In Missouri, Section Emergency Coordinator Don Moore, KM0R, says hams

there logged more than 1000 volunteer work hours in eight days. "We have

had Amateur Radio operators active in one part of Missouri or another

since Sunday, May 4, providing communications for served agencies,

assisting in damage assessment or handling health and welfare traffic into

and out of the affected areas," he said.

In Kansas, the Johnson County ARES Net was on the air within minutes of

the May 4 tornado. Hams used HF to maintain contact among The Salvation

Army Emergency Disaster Services headquarters in Kansas City and affected

areas south and east of Kansas City. Hams also supported Salvation Army

mobile canteens in stricken areas throughout the Kansas City metropolitan

area and rode along with damage-assessment teams. Another series of

thunderstorms swept into Kansas May 8, and a tornado hit Lawrence near the

University of Kansas campus. There were no major injuries, but The

Salvation Army dispatched canteen units with ham radio support.

In Tennessee, hams assisted as residents dug out from a tornado that

struck the Jackson-Madison County area early on May 5. Madison County EC

Kenny Johns, AB4EG--a City of Jackson employee--found himself putting in

12-hour days in cleanup operations. As of last weekend, some 5000 homes

remained without power, and Johns said some areas may take up to a month

to restore. Nearly 200 structures were destroyed, 11 people were killed,

and hundreds were left homeless. Hams were assisting the Madison County

Emergency Management Agency as needed, Johns said.

ARRL Assistant SEC for Middle Tennessee Tom Delker, K1KY, said ARES teams

in Middle Tennessee provided daily support to served agencies daily since

tornadoes on May 5 and 11. Delker said that upward of 400 Middle Tennessee

amateurs provided support for state and local emergency management

agencies, law enforcement, the American Red Cross and the National Weather

Service. When damaging tornadoes struck east of Smyrna on May 11, "ham

storm spotters tracked the storm and responded to the call for assistance

immediately after touchdown," Delker said. The storm destroyed six homes

and left some 30 others with major damage. It was a similar story in

nearby Williamson County, where a tornado destroyed one home and damaged

others. ARES groups in more than 22 Middle Tennessee counties were active,

he said.

ARRL Bulletin: National Hurricane Center Annual Test Announced...

The National Hurricane Center has announced its on-the-air station

test for Sunday June 1st, 2003 from 9 AM to 6 PM EDT (1300-2200 UTC).

The special bulletin is listed below:

ZCZC AX04

QST de W1AW

Special Bulletin 4 ARLX004

From ARRL Headquarters

Newington CT May 14, 2003

To all radio amateurs

SB SPCL ARL ARLX004

ARLX004 National Hurricane Center's WX4NHC announces 2003 on-the-air test

National Hurricane Center's Amateur Radio station WX4NHC (formerly

W4EHW) will conduct its 2003 hurricane season on-the-air station

test Sunday, June 1, 1300-2200 UTC. The event will mark the first

time the NHC uses its new WX4NHC call sign.

Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, KU4GY, says the purpose of

the annual station test is to check out all of the WX4NHC radio,

computer and antenna equipment using as many modes and frequencies

as possible. Some RFI monitoring also will be done. Several new

operators will also receive hands-on training.

WX4NHC will operate on HF, VHF and UHF. Operation will follow this

schedule: 1300 UTC--3.911 and 7.268 SSB and VHF/UHF FM; 1400

UTC--14.325 MHz SSB, VHF 147.000 repeater/UHF 442.350 repeater; 1500

UTC--144.200 MHz SSB, 14.070 MHz PSK31; 1700 UTC--14.325 and 21.325

MHz SSB, VHF/UHF IRLP Node 9210; 1800 UTC--21.325 and 28.525 MHz

SSB; 2000 UTC--14.325 and 144.200 MHz SSB. CW operation will be on

14.035, 21.035 and 28.035 MHz (times will vary).

Stations working WX4NHC are asked to provide a signal report,

location and brief weather report. QSL cards are available via

W4VBQ. Include an SASE with QSL requests.

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: rmacedo@rcn.com

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo

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