Hello to all..
..The following is the third in a series of messages on Amateur Radio Field Day Weekend and providing information on the heat and severe weather potential during this period..
..Conditions are still expected to gradually become warmer and more humid as the weekend wears on region wide so any Field Day sites doing setup, operating and take down of Field Day sites through this weekend should exercise caution due to the warm conditions by going slow and drinking plenty of liquids. Temperatures will be in the mid 80s Saturday with Upper 80s to around 90 Degrees Sunday..
..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms remain possible this weekend, particularly on Sunday, as conditions warm and weak impulses in the atmosphere may cause isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to organize over the area. Sunday remains the bigger concern for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms but both days should be monitored. Also, remember, that even non-severe thunderstorms with their attendant lightning risk, are a threat to Amateur Radio Field Day sites and a few non-severe thunderstorms could still occur on Saturday. While there is this potential, most of the weekend should be dry across the region. SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor conditions on Saturday across the region with SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton possible on Sunday if the thunderstorm potential is widespread enough and becomes more defined..
..Amateur Radio Field Day Weekend is an annual event where Ham Operators across the United States setup at Emergency Operations Centers, field locations, home locations etc. to operate and test their equipment and skills and make as many radio contacts as possible during the weekend. Many locations can be visited by the public and Amateur Radio Field Day can be a form of outreach to Ham and non-Ham Operators. It is also noted that several states have given proclamations to Amateur Radio/Ham Radio Operators for either an ‘Amateur Radio Week’ during the month of June or ‘Amateur Radio Month’ for this month. It is both a fun/preparatory event for Ham Radio Operators for Emergency Communications scenarios..
..As have been done over the past 10 plus years, this will be the third in a series of Severe Weather/Amateur Radio Field Day Coordination Messages to pass instructions to Amateur Radio Field Day sites on what to do if threatening weather approaches and to have Field Day sites guard their SKYWARN repeaters as required if threatening weather approaches..
..Unlike past years, Amateur Radio Field Day Weekend doesn’t coincide with Lightning Awareness Week so lightning safety information from NOAA’s Lightning Safety web site has been posted for awareness for all Amateur Radio Field Day Sites..
There are a large number of Amateur Radio Field Day sites across the NWS Taunton Coverage Area and adjacent NWS Coverage Areas. Here are some links to information on these Amateur Radio Field Day Sites from across the region
Amateur Radio Field Day Information: http://www.arrl.org/field-day
Amateur Radio Field Day National Locator: http://www.arrl.org/field-day-locator
Eastern Massachusetts Field Day Home Page: http://fd.ema.arrl.org/
The Charlestown RI EOC Ham Team Field Day Site will be located at Ninigret Park in Charlestown, RI. The site is the former location of the Charlestown Naval Air Station. The Westerly RI EOC Team will be joining the Charlestown RI EOC Ham Team once again this year for the joint effort per John Zabriskie-W1JPZ.
If there is additional Amateur Radio Field Day information that you would like to appear in these coordination messages, please contact me and it will be added to this section of the Amateur Radio Field Day Coordination Message.
For this weekend, temperatures will warm into the 80s today and potentially reach 90 degrees on Sunday. For Saturday, the greater instability and conditions for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms will be west and north of Southern New England but we cannot rule out isolated thunderstorms with their attendant lighting risk in Southern New England particularly along and north of the Mass Pike and into Southern New Hampshire. The threat for severe weather appears low but will be monitored throughout the day via SKYWARN Self-Activation protocols.
As we get into Sunday, the atmosphere should heat up sufficiently with instability and a greater possibility of isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms with any impulse that moves into the area during peak heating as well as a few more scattered non-severe thunderstorms with lightning as a hazard. The timing of any impulses is uncertain. Any strong to severe thunderstorms are likely to be less numerous than 2012 Field Day weekend but there are still likely to be thunderstorms with their lightning risk and the possibility of isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms particularly on Sunday. Further updates and specifics on any thunderstorms for Sunday will be better understood in later forecasts.
Amateur Radio Field Day sites setting up and active this weekend should use caution and keep an eye to the sky and monitor their local SKYWARN Repeater, NOAA Weather Radio or weather information via Internet and media resources to guard against safety issues if thunderstorms, even if they are non-severe, occur in the region due to the potential lightning risk on radio equipment and antennas. Proper grounding of antennas is essential to help reduce any risk from lightning. Below is the NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook: http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html
SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor conditions on Saturday across the region with SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Taunton possible on Sunday if the thunderstorm potential is widespread enough and becomes more defined. SKYWARN monitoring for non-severe thunderstorms and their lightning risk will be done throughout the weekend to protect Amateur Radio Field Day sites as required.
Also, as stated previously, remember that non-severe thunderstorms can pose a threat to Amateur Radio Field Day sites due to the threat of lightning. Please keep this in mind if you have an outdoor Field Day site. The following is a link for lightning safety information:
NWS Lightning Safety Awareness Home Page: http://www.lightningsafety.noaa.gov/
Severe Weather Safety Tips and Information can be found via the following links:
NWS Taunton Severe Weather Preparedness Week Web Site:
http://www.erh.noaa.gov/box/announcement/svrWxAwareWeek/index.php
NWS Taunton Public Information Statements for Severe Weather Preparedness Week:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/svr_prepare_wk_2013.txt
Given that heat will increase over the weekend, any groups setting up for Field Day on Friday and operating over the weekend should take it slow and drink plenty of liquids. The link below features information on Heat Safety:
http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/heat/index.shtml
Field Day sites are encouraged to bring a NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio and a dedicated Ham Radio that can monitor their local SKYWARN Frequency for their area or if they have mobile Internet capability, that is also a way to monitor for weather information if thunderstorms, even that are non-severe, approach your area. With Mobile Internet capability, utilizing Echolink to monitor the New England Reflector system on Echolink Conference Node: 9123/IRLP 9123 would be helpful. Please see the link below for the latest SKYWARN Frequency information for the region:
http://beta.wx1box.org/node/37
The next coordination message will be posted by 1100 AM Sunday Morning.
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 #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
http://ares.ema.arrl.org
http://beta.wx1box.org
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