May 2016

Severe Weather Coordination Message #2 – Monday Memorial Day 5/30/16 Severe Weather/Heavy Rainfall Potential

May 30, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Memorial Day is bringing more widespread showers and the potential for an embedded thunderstorm or two with the potential for localized heavy rainfall and urban and poor drainage flooding in localized areas that receive persistent and short duration heavy rainfall. This is associated with a cold front that will capture some of the moisture from Bonnie in the South/North Carolina region. An Isolated Strong to Severe Thunderstorm risk is also possible in parts of Northwest Massachusetts with strong to damaging wind and hail as well with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) continuing a marginal risk for severe weather for Northwest Massachusetts into Northern New England with areas west of Northwest Massachusetts most favorable depending on the amount of clearing that develops after rain moves through western areas this morning..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor conditions area wide on Memorial Day. This will be the last coordination message on the Memorial Day weather unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs. Below is the NWS Taunton Flood Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook..

NWS Taunton Flood Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wgus81.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Assistant 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
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Special Announcement: Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter – Spring 2016 Edition

May 30, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

The Spring 2016 edition of the Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter is now available. Links to the Spring 2016 Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter appear below:

http://beta.wx1box.org/local/Iss6vol1_newsletter_may2016.pdf
http://www.weather.gov/media/box/officePrograms/prevailing_winds/2016_05_prevailing_winds.pdf

An archive of Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletters can be seen via the following link:
http://beta.wx1box.org/node/3288

There are many interesting stories in the Spring 2016 Prevailing Winds SKYWARN Newsletter including a summary of SKYWARN Activations and Amateur Radio Operations during the winter of 2015-2016.

Respectfully Submitted,

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Special Announcement: 2016 WX4NHC Communications Test Very Successful – FEMA Administrator KK4INZ-Craig Fugate Participates in VoIPWXNet Portion of the Test

May 30, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

The 2016 WX4NHC Communications Test was very successful. Many Amateur Radio stations checked in with WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center allowing for critical testing of equipment. In addition, KK4INZ-Craig Fugate, FEMA Administrator, checked into the test and contacted both WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, and VE1MBR-Bob Robichaud, who was located at the Canadian Hurricane Centre in the Halifax Nova Scotia Canada area and monitored the last approximately 45 minutes of the Communications test. The moment was captured and recorded via the Echolink audio recording feature. The approximately 5 minute and 30 second period where KK4INZ-Craig Fugate made contact with WX4NHC and the Canadian Hurricane Centre can be heard via the following link:

http://www.voipwx.net/files/KK4INZ_Craig_Fugate_on_voipwxnet_wx4nhc_comms_test.wav

This link and recording has also been archived in the VoIP Hurricane Prep Net Presentations Archive which is a link off the Main Menu of the web site. As we enter the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season, the SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio community in the NWS Taunton Coverage area should be prepared to report severe weather per the SKYWARN reporting criteria during tropical systems and as we move into the summer severe weather season to support the National Weather Service in Taunton Massachusetts, their local and state emergency management, non-governmental organizations and the media to provide a high level of situational awareness and disaster intelligence information. It is also important to assure your personally prepared as well. As witnessed by the time taken by the FEMA Administrator to participate in the WX4NHC Communications test, Amateur Radio’s preparedness and SKYWARN Spotter preparedness before event and executing support during potentially significant weather situations and tropical systems is critical to the overall disaster response effort.

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Sunday 5/29/16 and Monday Memorial Day 5/30/16 Severe Weather/Heavy Rainfall Potential

May 29, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Possibly a Marginally Severe Thunderstorm or two are possible over Western Massachusetts from Western Worcester County Massachusetts west to the New York State line and Northwestern and North-Central Connecticut this Sunday afternoon through early evening. Heavy rainfall and urban and poor drainage flooding and lightning are the main threats but isolated strong to damaging winds or hail is also possible..
..On Memorial Day, more widespread showers are likely with the potential for localized heavy rainfall and urban and poor drainage flooding in localized areas that receive persistent and short duration heavy rainfall. This is associated with a cold front that will capture some of the moisture from Bonnie in the South/North Carolina region. An Isolated Strong to Severe Thunderstorm risk is also possible in parts of Northwest Massachusetts with strong to damaging wind and hail as well with the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) placing Northwest Massachusetts into Northern New England in a marginal risk for severe weather..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor conditions over Western New England for today and area wide on Memorial Day. Another coordination message will be posted either late this evening or Memorial Day Morning. Below is the NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook..

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day2otlk.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Strong Thunderstorm Potential for Saturday 5/28/16 and Potential Strong Thunderstorms for Later into the Memorial Day Weekend

May 28, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

..Isolated to Scattered Strong thunderstorms possible today across interior Southern New England during the afternoon and early evening hours. Heavy downpours with urban and poor drainage flooding and lightning are the main threats but strong winds and hail could occur in the strongest thunderstorms. This same potential exists on Sunday confined to Western and Central parts of Southern New England with the potential for more widespread heavy downpours and convective showers and thunderstorms Monday as a cold front interacts with Tropical Depression Two on Memorial Day..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the strong thunderstorm potential for Saturday. SKYWARN Self-Activation will likely be needed again on Sunday and Monday and will be detailed in future coordination messages. This will be the only coordination message for today’s strong thunderstorm activity unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs. Below is the NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Special Announcement: 2016 WX4NHC Annual On-Air Communications Station Test

May 24, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

Please see the following information from WD4R-Julio Ripoll, Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator on the 2016 WX4NHC On-Air Communications Test which will be held this Saturday May 28th, 2016 from 9 AM-5 PM EDT (1300-2100 UTC) across various bands and modes on Amateur Radio. We encourage Amateur Radio Operators in our region to participate.

WX4NHC will be On-The-Air for the Annual Station Test
Saturday, May 28th , 2016 from 9AM- 5 PM EDT ( 1300z- 2100z)
This will be our 36th year of public service at NHC.

The purpose of this event is to test Amateur Radio Station equipment, antennas and computers prior to this year’s Hurricane Season, which starts June 1st and runs through November 30th.
This event is good practice for Ham Radio Operators world-wide as well as NWS Staff to become familiar with Amateur Radio communications available during times of severe weather.

We will be making brief contacts on many frequencies and modes, exchanging signal reports and basic weather data exchange (“Sunny”, or “Rain”, etc.) with any station in any location.

WX4NHC will be On-The-Air on HF, VHF, UHF , 2 & 30 meter APRS and WinLink wx4nhc@winlink.org subject must contain “//WL2K”.
We will try to stay on the Hurricane Watch Net frequency 14.325 MHz most of the time.

Due to space and equipment limitations, we will have 2 operators per shift, we can not be everywhere and every mode at the same time.
You may be able to find us on HF by using one of the DX Spotting Networks,
Such as the DX Summit Web Site: http://www.dxsummit.fi/Search.aspx

We will also be on VoIP Hurricane Net 4pm-5pm EST (2000-2100z)
(IRLP node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). http://www.voipwx.net/

Florida VHF & UHF Repeaters will be contacted.

QSL Cards are available via WD4R.
Please send your card with a S.A.S.E.
Please do NOT send QSLs directly to the Hurricane Center address, as it will get delayed.

Due to security measures;
Please, NO VISITORS will be allowed entry to NHC without prior clearance from NHC PIO and Security.
Only WX4NHC Operators on the pre-approved operating schedule will be allowed entry.

For more information about WX4NHC, please visit our website
www.wx4nhc.org

Thank you for your participation in the WX4NHC Annual Station Test event.

-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-
Julio Ripoll Architect WD4R
WX4NHC Amateur Radio Asst. Coordinator
www.wx4nhc.org
Celebrating 36 years at the
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Thursday 5/19/16 Strong Thunderstorm Potential

May 19, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

..Strong Thunderstorms possible today during the afternoon and evening hours primarily in Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut but all areas should monitor. Hail is the primary threat but strong winds are also possible. Extent of any strong thunderstorms will be contingent on heating and destabilization and level of instability with cold air moving in aloft over the region as we get into this afternoon into early evening..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor any strong thunderstorm development today. This will likely be the only coordination message on the strong thunderstorm potential for today unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs. Below is the NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Storm Coordination Message #1 – Thursday 5/5/16 Minor Coastal Flooding and Strong Wind Potential in East Coastal Massachusetts

May 5, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

..Offshore low pressure system will bring a round of minor coastal flooding and wind gusts around 40 MPH to East Coastal Massachusetts. A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect from 9 PM Thursday Evening through 1 AM Friday Morning for East Coastal Massachusetts including the North Shore and Cape Cod and Nantucket Island. Minor coastal flooding at the time of high tide late tonight may affect vulnerable shore roads across north and east facing beach locations in the advisory area. Strong wind gusts should remain below wind advisory criteria but could gust around 40 MPH in the Coastal Flood Advisory area..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the potential for minor coastal flooding and the strong wind gusts in East Coastal Massachusetts. This will be the only coordination message on this potential. Below is the NWS Taunton Coastal Flood Advisory Statement and Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Taunton Coastal Flood Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.whus41.KBOX.html

NWS Taunton Hazardous Weather Outlook:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.flus41.KBOX.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Special Announcement: Severe Weather Preparedness Week 4/25/16-4/29/16 and Flood Safety Awareness Week 3/14/16-3/18/16

May 1, 2016 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all..

This past week was declared Severe Weather Preparedness Week by NWS Taunton. NWS Taunton issued several Public Information Statements and graphics for Severe Weather Preparedness Week. Below are links to the Severe Weather Preparedness Week information:

NWS Taunton Severe Weather Preparedness Week – April 25th-29th, 2016:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/severe_weather_preparedness_week_2016.txt
http://www.weather.gov/box/SevereWeatherPreparednessWeek

Also, last month, NWS Taunton declared the week of March 14th-18th, 2016 Flood Safety Awareness Week. Public Information Statements issued that week from Flood Safety Awareness Week can be seen at the following link:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/flood_safety_awareness_week_2016.txt

We hope this safety information is useful to all SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators. Please forward these safety tips broadly where possible.

Respectfully Submitted,

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