Hello to all…

Below are all the details including livestream information for the 2023 National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio Workshop in New Orleans, LA:

Amateur Radio will again be represented at the 2023 National Hurricane Conference which will be held this year in New Orleans, Louisiana (http://www.hurricanemeeting.com). This year, the workshop will be done both live at the conference and over YouTube livestream so this will be a “hybrid workshop”. The conference theme is to improve hurricane preparedness as it has been in past years. After the workshop is completed, the Amateur Radio Workshop will be uploaded to Youtube for those that can’t attend the sessions live. For 2023, all the Amateur Radio sessions will be on Monday April 3rd, 2023 from 830 AM-1020 AM CDT (930 AM-1120 AM EDT) and from 1030 AM-1210 PM CDT (1130 AM-110 PM EDT) with door prizes completed between 1210-1220 PM CDT (110-120 PM EDT). Each presenter will not only give an overview of their respective group but also how their group handled the significant hurricanes over the past year. Here is the session breakdown:

NHC Session #1 – 830 AM-1020 AM CDT (930 AM-1120 AM EDT): Bob Robichaud-VE1MBR from the Canadian Hurricane Centre will present on Hurricane Meteorological topics including the last 2 years in review and the forecast for 2023. He will also provide a brief overview of Canadian Hurricane Centre Operations. Julio Ripoll-WD4R will present WX4NHC Operations and an overview on the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN). A representative from the National Hurricane Center will also present on the importance of Amateur Radio surface reporting.

NHC Session #2: 1030 AM-1210 PM CDT (1130 AM-110 PM EDT): Rob Macedo-KD1CY will present on the VoIP Hurricane Net and best practices in SKYWARN Tropical Systems presentation, Bill Feist-WB8BZH will present a SATERN (Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network) overview. Josh Johnston-KE5MHV will give an ARRL update and KD5KNZ-Matt Anderson will give out an update on a local response update for Amateur Radio Operators in Louisiana. This will be followed by a Q & A session and raffle prizes will be offered.

Amateur Radio presentations will be recorded and posted to Youtube after the workshop within the month of April. The Amateur Radio presentations will also be livestreamed via Youtube as a best effort. It is noted that Internet connectivity can be a challenge at hotel locations for livestreaming but we will do our best to livestream the workshop but please note technical difficulties could affect the livestream so please be patient if you watch the livestream and we will have recordings available post workshop. The YouTube livestream link is listed below:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ucHdnXIoY3U

2023 National Hurricane Conference Presenters and Moderator:
• Moderator: Rob Macedo, KD1CY, VoIP Hurricane Net
• Special guest speaker (Need name from NHC), National Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Bob Robichaud, VE1MBR, Canadian Hurricane Center
• Special guest speaker Josh Johnston, KE5MHV, Director of Emergency Management, ARRL HQ
• John McHugh, K4AG, WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
• Julio Ripoll, WD4R, WX4NHC Assistant Amateur Radio Station Coordinator
• Bill Feist, WB8BZH, SATERN, Salvation Army Team Emergency Response Radio Network
• Matt Anderson, KD5KNZ, Louisiana ARRL Assistant Section Manager
• Rob Macedo, KD1CY, Director of Operations, VoIP Hurricane Net & ARRL ARES Eastern Mass SEC
• Jim Palmer, KB1KQW, VoIP Hurricane Net (Videographer)

Detailed Schedule Outline – All Times (Central Daylight Time):
830-835 AM: Opening Remarks
835-915 AM: Canadian Hurricane Centre and Hurricane Meteorological Topics (VE1MBR-Bob R) 915-1000 AM: WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center & HWN Overview (WD4R)
1000-1020 AM: Importance of Amateur Radio Surface Reports (NHC)
1020-1030 AM: Break
1030-1050 AM: VoIP Hurricane Net Overview & Best Practices in SKYWARN for Tropical Systems (KD1CY)
1050-1110 AM: SATERN – Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network Overview (WB8BZH)
1110-1130 AM: ARRL Update (KE5MHV)
1130-1150 AM: Louisiana Hurricane Response Update (KD5KNZ)
1150-1210 PM: Moderated Q & A session and Panel Discussion (All)
1210-1220 PM: Door Prizes (All)

We hope folks can attend the conference live and in person for those in and around the New Orleans LA area or attending the conference and that those outside of the area can participate in the livestream. For those can’t see it live, the workshop video will be posted online via Youtube within a week or two after the conference if not sooner. Thanks to all for their support of Amateur Radio and the NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN program.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
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Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms are possible in interior Southern New England for late Saturday Afternoon and Evening as a strong cold front and storm system that has brought significant severe weather to the Midwest and Southeast United States sweeps through our region. Strong to damaging winds, hail and heavy downpours leading to brief urban and poor drainage flooding are the main threats..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed much of Connecticut, Western, and Central Massachusetts and portions of Rhode Island in a slight risk for severe weather with the rest of Southern New England in a marginal risk for severe weather. The current threat timeframe is adjusted slightly to between 7-11 PM EDT Saturday late afternoon and evening..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the severe weather potential for later Saturday Afternoon and Evening..

A strong cold front and storm system responsible for the major severe weather outbreak in the Midwest and Southeast United States will have the potential to bring some isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to Southern New England. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors remain:

1.) The amount of clearing to allow for destabilization of the atmosphere to tap into other favorable instability parameters and very strong wind fields.
2.) Ability for strong wind fields and other favorable instability parameters to compensate if there is a lack of heating for destabilization or timing of the cold front past the time of peak heating.
3.) The timing of the cold front into Southern New England to act as a trigger for strong to severe thunderstorms in addition to factors 1 and 2.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the severe weather potential for later Saturday Afternoon and Evening. This will be the last coordination message as we shift into operations mode. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=box

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

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wx1box

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms are possible in interior Southern New England for late Saturday Afternoon and Evening as a strong cold front and storm system that has brought significant severe weather to the Midwest and Southeast United States sweeps through our region. Strong to damaging winds, hail and heavy downpours leading to brief urban and poor drainage flooding are the main threats..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed much of Connecticut, Western, Central and interior Northeast Massachusetts in a slight risk for severe weather with the rest of Southern New England in a marginal risk for severe weather. The current threat timeframe is between 5-11 PM EDT Saturday late afternoon and evening..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the severe weather potential for later Saturday Afternoon and Evening..

A strong cold front and storm system responsible for the major severe weather outbreak in the Midwest and Southeast United States will have the potential to bring some isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms to Southern New England. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors include:

1.) The amount of clearing to allow for destabilization of the atmosphere to tap into other favorable instability parameters and very strong wind fields.
2.) Ability for strong wind fields and other favorable instability parameters to compensate if there is a lack of heating for destabilization.
3.) The timing of the cold front into Southern New England to act as a trigger for strong to severe thunderstorms in addition to factors 1 and 2.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor the severe weather potential for later Saturday Afternoon and Evening. Another coordination message will be posted by 11 AM Saturday Morning. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=AFD&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

NWS Boston/Norton Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:
https://www.weather.gov/erh/ghwo?wfo=box

SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:
https://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2023/day2otlk_20230331_1730.html

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)
ARES SKYWARN Coordinator
Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section Emergency Coordinator
Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
Like us on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/wx1box