Hurricane Irene Statement – WX1BOX on Social Media – Special Reporting and Safety Tips from Amateur Radio Coordinators at the National Hurricane Center
Hello to all..
The following is a Hurricane Irene Statement on WX1BOX on social media and special reporting guidelines and safety tips from the Amateur Radio Coordinators at the National Hurricane Center. Special thanks to Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator at the National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Station, WX4NHC, Julio Ripoll-WD4R for providing this information.
First of all, WX1BOX is on both Twitter and Facebook. Look for us by doing a facebook or Twitter search for WX1BOX. This is a means to get storm updates and to share storm reports and pictures with us. Our facebook page can be seen via the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wx1box-National-Weather-Service-Taunton-Amateur-Radio-Skywarn-Group/216287391738620
Please adhere to the following safety tips provided by Julio Ripoll-WD4R:
Please emphasize that all operators should make necessary preparations to secure their homes and families first and take precautions for themselves seriously. Do not take any risks in trying to collect weather data. Even a CAT-1 is a dangerous Hurricane. Wind driven debris can cause serious injuries. Fallen electrical lines may not be visible and can cause electrocution even underwater. Storm Surge and Flash Floods are the major cause of death in hurricanes.
In terms of reporting criteria on Amateur Radio SKYWARN Nets, the standard SKYWARN reporting criteria is sufficient. Report damage to trees and wires, structural damage, measured wind gusts 40 MPH or greater. Report any river, stream flooding. Urban flooding should be reported when 6″ or more of water are covering at least one travel lane or the entire roadway. In terms of wind measurements, the wind direction and sustained wind along with the peak gust is very useful provided the wind gust is 40 MPH or greater. Noting the lowest barometric pressure reading is also helpful and any measured rainfall 2″ or more and every 1″ thereafter and any rainfall of 1″ or more per hour (not rainfall rate but an actual accumulation of 1″ or more within an hour period).
Please send any pictures or video to this address either as an attachment or links to the pictures and video or you can also send the pictures to the email address pics at nsradio.org. These pictures will be sent to media, local, state and federal emergency management, the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center with credit given to the people that are sending the pictures and video.
On Amateur Radio SKYWARN Nets, please help with the following:
1.) Refrain from general reports of ‘its raining hard’ or ‘very windy’ here.
2.) Refrain from flooding reports that are under 6″ of water and not in the travel lane of the roadway.
3.) Reporting wind gusts or sustained winds that are not of at least 40 MPH.
4.) If you’ve had a wind gust of criteria of 40 MPH or higher or a sustained wind of 40 MPH, please make the next report when you’ve had another higher gust or sustained wind of higher magnitude and give the wind direction.
We appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to working with everyone during Hurricane Irene. Thanks to all for everyone’s support, stay safe and hopefully the damage from this Hurricane will not be as bad as its potential.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
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@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org
Hello to all..
The following is a Hurricane Irene Statement on WX1BOX on social media and special reporting guidelines and safety tips from the Amateur Radio Coordinators at the National Hurricane Center. Special thanks to Amateur Radio Assistant Coordinator at the National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Station, WX4NHC, Julio Ripoll-WD4R for providing this information.
First of all, WX1BOX is on both Twitter and Facebook. Look for us by doing a facebook or Twitter search for WX1BOX. This is a means to get storm updates and to share storm reports and pictures with us. Our facebook page can be seen via the following link:
http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Wx1box-National-Weather-Service-Taunton-Amateur-Radio-Skywarn-Group/216287391738620
Please adhere to the following safety tips provided by Julio Ripoll-WD4R:
Please emphasize that all operators should make necessary preparations to secure their homes and families first and take precautions for themselves seriously. Do not take any risks in trying to collect weather data. Even a CAT-1 is a dangerous Hurricane. Wind driven debris can cause serious injuries. Fallen electrical lines may not be visible and can cause electrocution even underwater. Storm Surge and Flash Floods are the major cause of death in hurricanes.
In terms of reporting criteria on Amateur Radio SKYWARN Nets, the standard SKYWARN reporting criteria is sufficient. Report damage to trees and wires, structural damage, measured wind gusts 40 MPH or greater. Report any river, stream flooding. Urban flooding should be reported when 6″ or more of water are covering at least one travel lane or the entire roadway. In terms of wind measurements, the wind direction and sustained wind along with the peak gust is very useful provided the wind gust is 40 MPH or greater. Noting the lowest barometric pressure reading is also helpful and any measured rainfall 2″ or more and every 1″ thereafter and any rainfall of 1″ or more per hour (not rainfall rate but an actual accumulation of 1″ or more within an hour period).
Please send any pictures or video to this address either as an attachment or links to the pictures and video or you can also send the pictures to the email address pics at nsradio.org. These pictures will be sent to media, local, state and federal emergency management, the National Weather Service and National Hurricane Center with credit given to the people that are sending the pictures and video.
On Amateur Radio SKYWARN Nets, please help with the following:
1.) Refrain from general reports of ‘its raining hard’ or ‘very windy’ here.
2.) Refrain from flooding reports that are under 6″ of water and not in the travel lane of the roadway.
3.) Reporting wind gusts or sustained winds that are not of at least 40 MPH.
4.) If you’ve had a wind gust of criteria of 40 MPH or higher or a sustained wind of 40 MPH, please make the next report when you’ve had another higher gust or sustained wind of higher magnitude and give the wind direction.
We appreciate everyone’s support and look forward to working with everyone during Hurricane Irene. Thanks to all for everyone’s support, stay safe and hopefully the damage from this Hurricane will not be as bad as its potential.
Respectfully Submitted,
Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
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@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org