May 2018

Special Announcement: 2018 WX4NHC Annual On-Air Communications Station Test – Saturday May 26th, 2018 – 9 AM-5 PM EDT

May 21, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

Please see the following information from WD4R-Julio Ripoll, Assistant WX4NHC Coordinator on the 2018 WX4NHC On-Air Communications Test which will be held this Saturday May 26th, 2018 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.

Announcement from WX4NHC – Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, Miami Florida
WX4NHC will be On-The-Air for the Annual Station Test
Saturday, May 26th, 2018 from 9AM-5 PM EDT (1300z- 2100z)

This will be our 38th 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 cannot be on all frequencies or on 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 EDT (2000-2100z)
(IRLP node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). http://www.voipwx.net/

Florida Statewide SARNET and local 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:

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 38 years at the
National Hurricane Center
www.nhc.noaa.gov
-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-.-

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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #2 – Tuesday 5/15/18 Severe Weather Potential

May 15, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms remain likely across interior Southern New England during the Tuesday mid-afternoon through early evening timeframe with the greatest risk over Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut though areas through interior Eastern New England may also see isolated strong to severe thunderstorms. Strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall causing localized urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning are the primary threats. An isolated tornado is a secondary threat for western areas..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has continued Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut in a slight to enhanced risk for severe weather for Tuesday Afternoon and Evening and surrounding the slight to enhanced risk area there is a marginal risk for severe weather across interior Eastern New England. The timeframe for the severe weather potential is between 2-9 PM on Tuesday Afternoon/Evening..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Tuesday Afternoon..

An approaching cold front and secondary impulse in the atmosphere will move toward Southern New England during Tuesday Afternoon and evening. Satellite imagery is showing a good amount of clearing once fog and low clouds burn off and move eastward outside of the region. As the impulse and cold front approaches, there should be sufficient heating and destabilization with cooling aloft and strong winds in the upper levels of the atmosphere to allow for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms. The headlines reflect the current thinking including the latest thinking from SPC in terms of risk areas for severe weather across Southern New England. Key factors on the severe weather potential for Tuesday includes:

1.) Expected clearing to allow for heating and destabilization across the current severe weather risk areas and this unfolds as currently projected.
2.) Whether or not the main focus of severe weather is southwest of Southern New England or whether or not the current projection for higher severe weather probabilities will cover all of Southern New England as well as areas southwest of Southern New England. Some of this will be contingent on the heating and destabilization key factor highlighted in #1.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Tuesday Afternoon. This will be the last message on the severe weather potential unless a significant upgrade to the situation occurs and time allows for that update. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook and Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook, and the SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

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

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/day1otlk.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Tuesday 5/15/18 Severe Weather Potential

May 14, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms are possible to likely across interior Southern New England during the Tuesday mid-afternoon through early evening timeframe with the greatest risk over Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. Strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall causing localized urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning are the primary threats. An isolated tornado is a secondary threat..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut in a slight to enhanced risk for severe weather for Tuesday Afternoon and Evening and surrounding the slight to enhanced risk area there is a marginal risk for severe weather across interior Eastern New England. The timeframe for the severe weather potential is between 2-9 PM on Tuesday Afternoon/Evening..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are likely on Tuesday in the afternoon and evening hours..

An approaching cold front and secondary impulse in the atmosphere will move toward Southern New England during Tuesday Afternoon and evening. As it approaches, any morning showers and perhaps an isolated thunderstorm or two should clear the area and that should allow for good heating and destabilization and there will be strong winds aloft. This could allow for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to develop across interior Southern New England during the timeframe from 2-9 PM on Tuesday Afternoon/Evening. The headlines reflect the current thinking including the latest thinking from SPC in terms of risk areas for severe weather across Southern New England. Key factors on the severe weather potential for Tuesday includes:

1.) Expected clearing to allow for heating and destabilization across the current severe weather risk areas.
2.) Whether or not the main focus of severe weather is southwest of Southern New England or whether or not the current projection for higher severe weather probabilities will cover all of Southern New England as well as areas southwest of Southern New England. Some of this will be contingent on the heating and destabilization key factor highlighted in #1.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are likely on Tuesday in the afternoon and evening hours. Another coordination message will be posted by 9 AM Tuesday Morning. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook and Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook, and the SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:

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

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2018/day2otlk_20180514_1730.html

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1A – Friday 5/4/18 Severe Weather/Strong Wind Potential

May 4, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has issued a Mesoscale Convective Discussion citing a 95% chance of a watch for much of interior Southern New England. ..A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 11 PM Friday Evening through 7 AM Saturday Morning for Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts and expanded into the rest of Middlesex County and into Essex and Middlesex Counties for sustained winds of 20-25 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH. These winds could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages.
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 7 PM to monitor these conditions. This will be the last coordination message on the severe weather/strong wind potential as we move to operations mode. Below is the updated NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement, SPC Mesoscale Convective Discussion, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook, and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook..

SPC Mesoscale Convective Discussion:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/md/md0355.html

NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

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

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

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

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Friday 5/4/18 Severe Weather/Strong Wind Potential

May 4, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms possible across Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut late this afternoon into early evening. Strong to damaging winds are the primary threat. The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed this region in a Marginal Risk for severe weather with a slight risk for Northwest Massachusetts through New York State and Vermont..
..A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 11 PM Friday Evening through 7 AM Saturday Morning for Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts for sustained winds of 20-25 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH. These winds could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation is likely for the strong wind potential overnight. Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are also possible depending on evolution of strong to severe thunderstorms and the strong wind threat..

Yesterday’s isolated severe thunderstorm potential stayed south and west of Southern New England as warmer temperatures aloft and lower dewpoints precluded a severe weather threat despite temperatures in the low 90s breaking records in a couple locations and strong wind fields aloft. For today, the greatest severe weather threat is across New York State and Vermont but there is the potential for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to traverse into Western and Central Massachusetts and Northwest Connecticut. There will be a bit more cooling in upper levels of the atmosphere along with more moisture but the time of day for when thunderstorms will move into western parts of the area may not be ideal with that threat towards evening in the region.

As the cold front moves through the region, there will be a period of strong winds behind the front. A Wind Advisory is now in effect from 11 PM Friday Evening through 7 AM Saturday Morning for Franklin, Hampshire, Hampden, Worcester and Northern Middlesex Counties of Massachusetts for sustained winds of 20-25 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH. These winds could cause isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and isolated power outages. This wind advisory could be expanded to areas further south and east in the NWS Boston/Norton coverage area in future updates.

SKYWARN Self-Activation is likely for the strong wind potential overnight. Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are also possible depending on evolution of strong to severe thunderstorms and the strong wind threat. A shortened coordination message will be issued if Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are initiated and/or an expansion to the Wind Advisory occurs. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement:
http://kamala.cod.edu/ma/latest.wwus71.KBOX.html

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

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

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

Respectfully Submitted,

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Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Thursday 5/3/18 Severe Weather Potential

May 3, 2018 Rob Macedo Leave a comment

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms are possible across interior Southern New England Thursday Afternoon and Evening. The greatest threat is over Western and Central Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Northwest Rhode Island but all interior areas have some risk for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed Western and Central Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Northwest Rhode Island in a Slight Risk for severe weather with the rest of Southern New England in a marginal risk for severe weather..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible Thursday Afternoon and Evening. A more detailed coordination message will be issued Thursday Morning. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook..

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

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/box/ehwo

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

Respectfully Submitted,

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