Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Friday Afternoon & Evening 6/6/25 Severe Weather Potential

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms are possible to likely Friday Afternoon & Evening between 2-10 PM across Western, Central, Northeast Massachusetts, Northern Connecticut and Northwest Rhode Island where the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed this area in a slight risk for severe weather with a marginal risk for severe weather for North-Central Rhode Island and the rest of Eastern Massachusetts away from the south coast. Strong to damaging winds, hail, frequent lightning and heavy downpours causing urban and poor drainage flooding are the main threats..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor any severe thunderstorm potential Friday Afternoon and Evening..

Severe thunderstorm potential is on tap for much of interior Southern New England. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors include:

1.) Sufficient heating and destabilization for strong to severe thunderstorm development. This is dependent on any remaining convective activity and if any of it spills over with lingering cloud cover in the region.
2.) Timing of forcing and triggering of the atmosphere at the time of peak heating which is currently lined up appropriately for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorm development. While wind fields are marginally sufficient for severe thunderstorm development, other instability parameters are favorable and will bear watching.
3.) As always with severe thunderstorm events, not all locations will receive a severe thunderstorm. They will be isolated to scattered with pockets of wind damage, hail and urban/poor drainage flooding in those isolated to scattered locations.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor any severe thunderstorm potential Friday Afternoon and Evening. The next coordination message will be posted by 11 AM Friday 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/2025/day2otlk_20250605_1730.html

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)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Special Announcement: 14th Anniversary of the June 1st 2011 Massachusetts Tornado Outbreak

Hello to all..

We have reached the 14 year anniversary of a historic day in Southern New England Weather History. The June 1st, 2011 Massachusetts Tornado Outbreak will be a day long remembered in weather history. This announcement recaps the tornado outbreak and the lessons learned that apply today. This message is leveraged from prior anniversary messages with some updates.

The June 1st, 2011 event was forecasted by the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) in Norman Oklahoma as far as 5 days out. This is very rare for New England to be in a convective outlook past 3 days. The outlook of ‘Slight Risk’ for severe weather would continue right up through June 1st. As we got into June 1st, a fast moving area of rapidly developing severe thunderstorms ahead of the warm front affected portions of Southern New Hampshire and Northeast Massachusetts producing large hail. These storms quickly moved out of area and were a sign of things to come and how explosive the atmosphere was on June 1st. Abundant sunshine and rapid heating and destabilization coupled with extremely strong wind shear values, set the stage for a historic major severe weather outbreak in Massachusetts and other parts of New England. The Storm Prediction Center in Norman Oklahoma issued a Mesoscale Convective Discussion highlighting the need for Tornado Watches for much of New York and New England. The Tornado Watches would be issued and supercell severe thunderstorms would move into Southern New England.

Initially the supercells produced very large hail including hail slightly over 4″ in diameter in East Windsor Massachusetts, Berkshire County, which may potentially set the new record for the commonwealth as far as hail size but no tornadic or wind damage activity through 400 PM. This is when the supercell began to take shape in Western Hampden County Massachusetts and set the stage for the large, long track EF-3 Tornado that traversed the area from Westfield to Charlton Massachusetts for a 38-mile long damage path and was on the ground for 70 minutes. Three smaller tornadoes occurred in Western and Central Massachusetts from additional supercells moving through the area. Another area of supercells went through Northern Worcester County into Middlesex and Suffolk Counties producing Golf Ball Sized hail and pockets of wind damage all the way into the Metro Boston area.

June 1st, 2011 underscored how important Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters and non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters are to the warning process and how the timely severe weather reporting can not only help the warning process but can also help saves lives. The near real-time reporting of the large EF-3 tornado touchdown with initial preliminary reports in Westfield including from Al Giguere Jr.-KB1VNH, the actual spotting of the EF3 Tornado by several Amateurs including KB1NOX-Richard Stewart who was in a car with several other Amateurs, Western Massachusetts SKYWARN Coordinator, Ray-W1NWS, and the amazing remote webcam footage from WWLP-TV channel 22 in Springfield Massachusetts helped to tell people that not only was this a radar detected tornado but that it was definitely on the ground and doing significant damage. It is quite likely that many lives were saved by this near realtime reporting of the tornado being on the ground.

Amateur Radio SKYWARN Nets were active on several Amateur Radio Repeaters including the 146.940-Mount Tom Repeater run by the Mount Tom Amateur Radio Club and with Amateur Radio members and SKYWARN Spotters from the Hampden County Radio Association also reporting into the net. The 146.970-Paxton Repeater run by the Central Massachusetts Amateur Radio Club was active for several hours as well. Both repeaters providing significant near realtime reporting for situational awareness and disaster intelligence purposes not only to the National Weather Service but also to the media, local, state and federal emergency management officials. The Amateur Radio Internet Radio Linking Project (IRLP)/Echolink system on the echolink conference *NEW-ENG* node 9123/IRLP 9123 was also active with liaisons from various Amateur Radio nets reporting into the network. While not in the NWS Boston/Norton (formerly Taunton) Coverage Area, the 146.910-Mount Greylock Repeater was active with Berkshire County SKYWARN as run by Rick-WA1ZHM with Walt-N1DQU providing information from the net into NWS. Net Controls for the 146.940 Mount Tom Net were Bob Meneguzzo-K1YO and for the 146.970 Paxton Net, John Ruggiero-N2YHK. N9SC-Steve Craven provided a critical liaison link from the 146.970-Paxton Repeater Net to the 146.940-Mount Tom Net during the tornadic outbreak. Many Amateur Radio Operators and non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters reported severe weather conditions despite being at risk from these powerful supercells. We are forever grateful for the reporting that helped save lives. The outpouring of damage assessment pictures and videos and reports near and after the event was unprecedented. This clearly helped Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs), local and state emergency management perform their duties to try and bring as many resources to bear on the significant path of destruction carved out by the tornado outbreak.

For the victims, today is likely a painful reminder of what occurred and what loses they faced in terms of property damage and possibly lives lost. Our thoughts and prayers remain to all those people that are affected and we hope that they have fully recovered and moved on with their lives after this tornado outbreak.

For those not impacted by such a significant event as June 1st and not impacted severely by other significant severe weather events that have occurred over the past decade, this is a reminder that we must all be prepared for these significant weather situations that occur at low frequency but can be with high impact. The more self-sufficient and prepared we are, the easier the situation will be if we are faced with such a significant scenario if it comes our way and potentially occurs in a more widespread way. For those SKYWARN Spotters and Amateur Radio Operators who have not witnessed such severe weather, this is why we train and prepare because we never know the hour or day where a critical severe weather report can help the warning process and save lives.

On a personal level, we never want severe weather like this to happen but if it has to happen, the level of commitment, support and reporting of the situation in near realtime on June 1st with a high level of precision and quality but also in the quantity that the reports came through in our network is a testament to all of you for remaining dedicated and supportive of the National Weather Service SKYWARN program. It is an honor and a privilege for myself and many of our Amateur Radio SKYWARN Coordinators across the NWS Boston/Norton Coverage Area to serve as leaders of the program and we appreciate everything you do, as without all of you, we wouldn’t have the SKYWARN program we have today in our region. Having been the leader of the program for over 29 years, this was our finest hour in supporting the NWS office and saving lives and it couldn’t have been done without all of your support.

Given the 14-year anniversary, here are some stories from SKYWARN Spotters, Amateur Radio Operators and others from this day as collected from previous anniversaries:

Mike Rivers:
I chased that storm. Remember everything. Was a impressive weather day. Sad many lost a lot or all.

KB1MSJ-Bill Collins via WX1BOX Facebook Page:
I was in dispatch at MEMA that day constantly on the radios warning responders of the locations of these tornadoes.

Paul D Kaitz via WX1BOX Facebook Page:
I do remember this very well. Was working DCR fire control at the time.

Michelle Wright via WX1BOX Facebook Page:
A couple of family members were way too close to the tornado for comfort. I felt so helpless because I was unable to reach them to see if they were okay until two days later.

Steve Hooke – Norfolk County Task Force:
14 years ago today I responded to Brimfield with the Norfolk County Task Force to assist with search and rescue after the tornado hit. Only those who were there that night can really understand what we did and what we saw. The destruction was unimaginable. Those assigned to the task force that day have my ultimate respect.

Frank Cummings via the WX1BOX Facebook Page:
I visited a person in that area a few weeks after the storms. His house and property were essentially untouched. All that was left of his next door neighbor’s home was the foundation. and the devastation was widespread. The whole area looked like a game of Giant Pick Up Sticks – trees laying askew for as far as the eye could see and foundations left on lots stripped of almost vegetation. Terrible.

Gail Morrissey – Monson, MA – WX1BOX Twitter/Facebook Feed:
I live three houses down from a tilted one and was home when it hit. Not a fun experience. The upside down house, Judy and Doug’s, were up the street from me. I learned to be a weather spotter from you after this.

I was in Monson (still am) and was ‘in it.’ Lost my home and car in about 40 seconds. Crazy that I still remember every detail like it was yesterday.

Josh Adler – WX1BOX Twitter Feed:
Flew into these storms coming back from LAX to Logan. Single most turbulent flight I’ve ever been on. It was a wild ride!

Joe Sciacca – SKYWARN Spotter and Meteorologist for Precision Weather Forecasting, Inc.:
Here are my memories of June 1, 2011: I was a sophomore in high school at Austin Prep in Reading, MA. It was a Tuesday morning and I was on my way to school. Around 7:30 am I looked to the west and I saw huge overshooting cloud tops. I told my mom that today was going to be a dangerous severe weather day in Southern New England. Checking the radar before school started around 8, I saw a powerful line of thunderstorms in western New England moving east with hail reports. Little that I knew, that the hail was up to 4 inches in diameter. In my younger forecasting days, I had limited model data but the data that I had at the time indicated to me that this was going to be unusual setup. I saw alot of shear, a well mixed boundary layer, and high severe weather parameters. Around 10am or so, the line of thunderstorms moved into the Reading area and there was loud thunder and heavy rain. I checked the radar and satellite and saw clearing coming in from the west. When I saw the clearing sky, I upped my tornado threat to a 8/10 for central Southern New England. I told the kids in my class that a tornado will likely happen today in Western MA. They laughed and said “tornadoes don’t happen here”. As the afternoon went on, about 1 pm in my last class of the day I checked on the weather conditions in the region and I saw a tornado watch issued to our west I think in NY state. We had a entire afternoon of strong heating and destabilization of the atmosphere. Once school let out around 2 and on my way home closer to 3, I looked out to the west, and I saw massive cloud tops that I think were near 80 or so miles to my west from I-93 in Reading, MA. Once I got home, I tuned on the TV and then closer to 4, the tornado warnings started in western MA and it was several hours of live tornadoes on local TV stations like WHDH 7, NECN, WBZ, WCVB. At one point the EAS came on TV. That was insane for me who at the time was 16. It was impossible for me to do my homework that afternoon because of the severe weather and the excitement that I had of watching the TV meteorologist handle what was becoming a historic weather event locally. By time 10pm came, I remember the storms approached into Boston with a severe thundershower if I remember correctly. At this time I had to call it a day since I had school the next day.

Bob Yates – SKYWARN Spotter (Provided an additional photo from Brimfield from 6/1/11):
I volunteered for a few days delivering sandwiches and water from the church just after roads were cleared-

Eric Mikal Birkeland – SKYWARN Spotter:
The damage scar can still be seen by satellite after it snows.

Billy Doyle – SKYWARN Spotter:
I remember very well I was at Cracker Barrel in Sturbridge and a monson on call fire fighter was eating and his pager went off

Jeff Aborn – SKYWARN and Co-Op Observer – Provided Photos from the tornado path on the WX1BOX Tornado feed:
On the afternoon of June 1, 2011 an EF-3 tornado traveled 38 miles through parts of western & central Massachusetts. It caused damage in W Springfield, Monson, Brimfield, and Southbridge. Three lives were taken by the storm and 200 injuries. Jeff–Staffordville

We hope this remembrance makes people never forget what happened on June 1st 2011 and remind ourselves again that we must remain, prepared and vigilant especially here in New England where events such as June 1st can happen but on a low frequency basis. A June 1st 2011 video collage has been posted at our WX1BOX Video Youtube Channel with the direct link listed below as well as a June 1st 2011 tornado timeline video by SKYWARN Spotter Dan Butler. Also listed below is the NWS Massachusetts Tornado Summary, the NWS June 1st, 2011 Facebook Graphic, the ARRL Story on the June 1st Tornado Outbreak, the NWS Taunton June 1st Local Storm Report and the Raw Storm log from the WX1BOX Amateur Radio Station.

Amateur Radio SKYWARN Video – June 1st, 2011:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9dBRGRQx9bI

Dan Butler SKYWARN Spotter – June 1st, 2011 – Springfield Massachusetts Tornado – Warning: Please note light profanity in this video as there are livewitness videos as part of the timeline:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yvp7NGsxruE

NWS Boston/Norton June 1st, 2011 Facebook Graphics:
https://www.facebook.com/photo/?fbid=326947176276952&set=a.237876368517367
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/06/June-1st-2011-Massachusetts-Tornado-Outbreak_2022_infographic.jpg

NWS Boston/Norton Local Storm Reports 6/1/11:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/lsr_6_1_11.txt

NWS Boston/Norton Public Information Statement – Tornado Classifications from 6/1/11:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/PNS_Jun_1_2011_BOX_TOR.pdf

ARRL Story from 6/1/11 – Central Massachusetts Experiences Rare Tornado, Area Hams Hasten to Help:
https://www.arrl.org/news/central-massachusetts-experiences-rare-tornado-area-hams-hasten-to-help

NWS Boston/Norton-WX1BOX Raw Amateur Radio Storm Log:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/06/storm_reports.txt

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)
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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Special Announcement: Start of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season

Hello to all…

Sunday June 1st, 2025 marks the start of the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season. The 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season is expected to be an above normal season per the NOAA/National Hurricane Center, Colorado State University and other outlooks. To mark the start of Atlantic Hurricane Season, NWS Boston/Norton has published a Public Information Statement with the names of the tropical systems for 2025 as well as some tropical cyclone history in Southern New England and tropical cyclone safety tips. Also, the National Hurricane Center/Tropical Prediction Center in Miami FL will issue advisories on named systems, Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watches and Warnings when a system threatens a land area, Tropical Cyclone Updates on named systems and Tropical Weather Outlooks for potential areas of tropical cyclone development and have issued a summary of their product services and Atlantic storm names in their 8 AM Sunday 6/1/25 Tropical Weather Outlook. The Public Information Statement and NHC Tropical Weather Outlook from 8 AM EDT – Sunday June 1st, 2025 is listed in the links below:

NWS Boston/Norton – Public Information Statement – Start of 2025 Hurricane Season:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/PNS_Start_of_Hurricane_Season_2025.pdf

National Hurricane Center – NHC – Tropical Weather Outlook of tropical names and Tropical Products/Services:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/NHC_Tropical_Weather_Outlook_1st_day_of_Atlantic_Hurricane_Season_2025.pdf

It is noted that the threat of a hurricane to a land area in the Atlantic basin would cause the activation of WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center, the Hurricane Watch Net on HF and the VoIP Hurricane Net on Echolink, IRLP and other VoIP modes. The founder and coordinator of WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center was recognized by the national Amateur Radio Convention known as Dayton Hamvention for his 45 years of continuous service. Also note that the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) will be holding a special event on Amateur Radio HF on Saturday 6/7/25-Sunday 6/8/25. Info on that event, Julio’s award and the web page resources for these nets/groups are listed below:

WX4NHC – the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center:
http://www.wx4nhc.org/
https://wx1box.org/2025/05/18/special-announcement-wd4r-julio-ripoll-founder-coordinator-of-national-hurricane-center-amatuer-radio-station-wx4nhc-receives-prestigious-dayton-hamvention-special-achievement-award/

Hurricane Watch Net:
https://hwn.org/

Hurricane Watch Net – 60th Anniversary Special Event:
https://wx1box.org/2025/05/20/special-announcement-hurricane-watch-net-60th-anniversary-on-air-celebration-special-event/

VoIP Hurricane Net
https://voipwx.net/

Please use this time to prepare if a tropical system were to affect Southern New England and remember that the timely reporting of severe weather conditions during tropical systems can save lives and property and the NWS Boston/Norton forecaster and Amateur Radio teams appreciate all your support!

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
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Storm Coordination Message #1 – Late Friday Night 5/30/25-5/31/25 – Heavy Rainfall & Flood Potential

Hello to all…

..Soaking heavy rainfall with heavy downpours and embedded thunderstorms are expected with the heaviest amounts in portions of Western Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut with rainfall amounts of 2-3″ with isolated higher amounts and the potential for urban and poor drainage flooding and possibly some minor river and stream flooding. For the rest of Southern New England, rainfall amounts of 0.50″-1.5″ with isolated higher amounts. The heaviest rainfall is late tonight through late Saturday Morning but another round of showers and thunderstorms could bring localized heavy rainfall late Saturday Afternoon and Evening to the region..
..The potential for severe weather is low but given the strength of the storm system, an isolated severe thunderstorm with strong to damaging winds can’t be ruled out with the two round of heavy rainfall and embedded thunderstorms if more instability develops than expected..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for rain gauge, flooding and wind damage/severe weather related reports late tonight through Saturday Morning and also Saturday late PM/Evening. This will be the only coordination message unless a significant change to the situation occurs and time allows for an update. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Area Forecast Discussion, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and Rainfall Map..

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

NWS Norton Rainfall Map:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NWS-Norton-Rainfall-Map-5-31-25.jpg

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)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Post Storm Coordination Message #1 – Thursday 5/22/25-Friday AM 5/23/25 Nor’easter/Coastal Storm

Hello to all…

..Rare May Coastal Storm/Nor’easter brought a widespread swath of 3-7″ of rain across portions of Southeast Massachusetts with 1-3″ of rain with isolated higher amounts across the rest of Southern New England. This caused flooding of some urban and poor drainage areas and even a few small streams/rivers in the region..
..Wind gusts of 40-55 MPH with isolated higher gusts to 65-70 MPH occurred along East Coastal Massachusetts, Cape Cod and the Islands and some south coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island locations. This caused isolated pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages and contributed to minor coastal flooding with a few shore road closures across Southern New England..
..Post storm damage reports/pics/videos can be sent as a reply to this email, via our WX1BOX Facebook, X and Bluesky feeds or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter unless otherwise indicated. Below is the WX1BOX Amateur Radio Storm Event Log, NWS Boston/Norton Rainfall Map, NWS Boston/Norton Public Information Statement and Local Storm Report..

WX1BOX Amateur Radio Log:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/reports_5_22_25_2-1.pdf

NWS Boston/Norton Rainfall Map:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/NWS-Norton-Rainfall-Map-5-22-25-5-23-25.jpg

NWS Boston/Norton Public Information Statement:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/PNS-5-23-25.pdf

NWS Boston/Norton Local Storm Report:
https://wx1box.org/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/LSR-5-23-25.pdf

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)
Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com
https://ares.ema.arrl.org
https://www.wx1box.org
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Storm Coordination Message #1 – Thursday 5/22/25 Coastal Storm/Nor’easter Impacts

Hello to all…

..Late season Nor’easter will impact the region Thursday with a soaking rainfall, strong wind gusts at the coast with isolated pockets of wind damage and minor coastal flooding at the time of the Thursday late afternoon and evening high tide cycle..
..A Wind Advisory is in effect for Eastern Essex, Suffolk, Eastern Norfolk, Eastern Plymouth Counties of Massachusetts from 2 PM to 11 PM Thursday and for Cape Cod and the Islands from 11 AM to 11 PM Thursday for sustained winds of 15-25 MPH with gusts to 50 MPH with isolated higher gusts to 55 MPH possible. Southeast Coastal areas outside of the Wind Advisory could see wind gusts of 40 MPH with isolated higher gusts. With fully leaved trees and these wind gusts, isolated to scattered pockets of tree and wire damage and power outages will be possible..
..A Coastal Flood Advisory is in effect from 4 PM to 7 PM Thursday for South Coastal Massachusetts and Rhode Island including Block Island and 6 PM to 11 PM Thursday for East Coastal Massachusetts and Cape Cod and the Islands for minor coastal flooding and splashover at the time of the Thursday late PM/evening high tide. A few vulnerable shore roads could be closed during high tide..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation and possibly a few Amateur Radio Call-Up Nets will be utilized for rain gauge, wind gust reports 40 MPH or Greater, Wind Damage and Coastal Flood Reports on Thursday. Pictures and videos of storm damage and flooding can be sent as a reply to this message, via our WX1BOX Facebook/X/Bluesky feeds or through the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter unless otherwise indicated..

A late season nor’easter is on tap for the region on Thursday. While not the most intense nor’easter, it will have some impacts in the region and has received a bit more attention since its coming at an atypical time of year in late May. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors include:

1.) Strength of winds will be determined by the strength of the low and will be maximized if the European model suite is correct.
2.) Minor coastal flooding coverage will depend on the strength of the winds and the timing of those wind near high tide along with ability for the storm to build wave action ahead of the late PM/evening tide cycle.
3.) Rainfall will also be maximized if stronger model solutions verify.
4.) Cannot rule out a bit of snow in the highest elevations of the Berkshires from this storm event and will monitor this aspect

SKYWARN Self-Activation and possibly a few Amateur Radio Call-Up Nets will be utilized for rain gauge, wind gust reports 40 MPH or Greater, Wind Damage and Coastal Flood Reports on Thursday. Pictures and videos of storm damage and flooding can be sent as a reply to this message, via our WX1BOX Facebook/X/Bluesky feeds or through the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter unless otherwise indicated. If time allows, another coordination message will be issued by 11 AM Thursday Morning. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement, Coastal Flood Advisory Statement, Area Forecast Discussion and Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Wind Advisory Statement:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=NPW&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

NWS Boston/Norton Coastal Flood Advisory Statement:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=CFW&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

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

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)
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://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Special Announcement: Hurricane Watch Net – 60th Anniversary On-Air Celebration Special Event

Hello to all…

The long standing Amateur Radio Hurricane Watch Net will be doing a special event for its 60th Anniversary of their net’s support of hurricanes. The details on this special event are below from KB5HAV-Bobby Graves, Hurricane Watch Net – Net Manager:

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) will host a two-day on-air Special Event to celebrate our 60th Anniversary. During this event, taking place June 7–8, 2025, our members will operate using the callsign WX5HWN.

Operations will take place on, or near, 14.325 MHz ±, and 7.268 MHz, ± at the following times:

Saturday, June 7
· 14.325 MHz: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM EDT (1400-0100 UTC)
· 7.268 MHz: 5:00 PM EDT to 10:00 PM EDT (2100-0200 UTC)

Sunday, June 8
· 14.325 MHz & 7.268 MHz 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT (1400–2100 UTC)
Note: Operations on 7.268 MHz will conclude at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC).

Our Net Control Stations – located across the United States – will all use the WX5HWN callsign, passing the virtual baton from one member to the next throughout the event.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1 through November 30. While the season typically peaks from mid-August to late October, tropical cyclones can form at any time.

Special Certificate Available:
To receive a commemorative certificate, please email your request to wx5hwn@hwn.org no later than June 30, 2025.

Certificates for confirmed contacts will be sent electronically only. Please, no QSL cards or postal requests.

For more details about the Hurricane Watch Net, visit: www.hwn.org, our QRZ page for WX5HWN, and our Hurricane Watch Net Social Media pages on Facebook and X (formerly known as Twitter).

73 & God Bless,
Bobby
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Bobby Graves – KB5HAV
7856 New Light Road
Starkville, MS 39759
(601) 405-7885

Hurricane Watch Net
Net Manager
Webmaster
www.hwn.org

We hope Amateur Radio Operators with HF capability can participate in this special event supporting the Hurricane Watch Net. Thanks to all for their support!

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)
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://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Special Announcement: WD4R-Julio Ripoll – Founder & Coordinator of National Hurricane Center Amatuer Radio Station – WX4NHC Receives Prestigious Dayton Hamvention Special Achievement Award

Hello to all…

On Saturday Evening, May 17th, 2025, WD4R-Julio Ripoll, Founder and Coordinator of WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, received the prestigious Dayton Hamvention (a national Amateur Radio Convention), Special Achievement Award for 45 years of service to the National Hurricane Center and for founding the Amateur Radio station in 1980.

Julio announced at the 2025 National Hurricane Conference Amateur Radio Workshop in New Orleans, Louisiana that he will be retiring as the coordinator for the station at the end of the 2025 Hurricane Season. He will continue on for some time after 2025 to support the operation as an Amateur Radio Operator. On hand from the WX1BOX Amateur Radio Team to be present in this award presentation was North Shore ARES SKYWARN Coordinator, KB1KQW-Jim Palmer, who also took a photo of Julio and the Awards Committee that presented this award to Julio. Picture attached to this web post.

We congratulate Julio on this award and we look forward to working with him in the 2025 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We are also hopeful that he may visit the New England area in the Fall of 2025. If so, we will be looking to have him do a special presentation for the New England region on his support of the National Hurricane Center over the last 45 years and also give Julio our in-person thanks and gratitude for his many years of service to the National Hurricane Center which has included several activations for landfalling tropical systems in the New England area (Irene, Sandy and Henri specifically) and participation in hurricane exercises for Amateur Radio in the mid-2000s through early 2010s. We appreciate Julio and the entire WX4NHC Amateur Radio team’s support during hurricanes. We also appreciate the support of the Amateur Radio and non-Amateur Radio SKYWARN Spotters that support Southern New England SKYWARN and the WX1BOX Amateur Radio team!

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)
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://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Severe Weather Coordination Message #1 – Saturday 5/17/25 Severe Weather Potential

Hello to all…

..Isolated to Scattered Strong to Severe Thunderstorms are possible to likely Saturday Afternoon and Evening between 2-8 PM particularly across Western, Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut but could extend to portions of Central and Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island where the Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has placed Western Massachusetts and Northwest Connecticut in a slight risk for severe weather with a marginal risk for severe weather for Central and Eastern Massachusetts to Northeast Connecticut and Rhode Island. Strong to damaging winds, hail, frequent lightning and heavy downpours causing urban and poor drainage flooding are the main threats with a secondary threat for an isolated tornado in Western Massachusetts and Northwest Connecticut..
..There could also be a few showers and isolated thunderstorms Saturday Morning between 9 AM-12 PM. This activity is expected to be sub-severe but the strongest storms could produce heavy downpours and perhaps some small sub-severe hail and sub-severe strong wind gusts..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor any severe thunderstorm potential for Saturday particularly in the Afternoon and Evening. Pictures and videos of storm damage can be sent as a reply to this message, via our WX1BOX Facebook, X, Bluesky feeds or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter unless otherwise indicated..

The potential exists for severe thunderstorms particularly in Western Massachusetts and Northwest Connecticut but areas through Central and Eastern Massachusetts, Northeast Connecticut and Rhode Island away from the coast should also monitor. The headlines depict the current thinking. Key factors include:

1.) Sufficient heating and destabilization for strong to severe thunderstorm development. Satellite imagery shows breaks in the clouds and stratus that should become more prominent by early afternoon particularly in Western Massachusetts and Northwest Connecticut. If the low clouds and stratus break up to allow sunshine further east, that would increase the risk for severe weather in eastern areas.
2.) Any morning shower and thunderstorm development this morning and how that affects clearing and destabilization for the afternoon activity. Any thunderstorm development this morning is not expected to be severe but heavy
3.) As always with severe thunderstorm events, not all locations will receive a severe thunderstorm. They will be isolated to scattered with pockets of wind damage, hail and urban/poor drainage flooding in those isolated to scattered locations.

SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor any severe thunderstorm potential for Saturday particularly in the Afternoon and Evening. Pictures and videos of storm damage can be sent as a reply to this message, via our WX1BOX Facebook, X, Bluesky feeds or to the email address pics@nsradio.org with credit given to the spotter unless otherwise indicated. This will likely be the only 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 (After 6 PM)
Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)
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://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

Storm Coordination Message #1 – Late Tonight 5/8/25 Through Saturday AM 5/10/25 – Heavy Rainfall & Flood Potential

Hello to all…

..Another round of heavy rainfall could cause minor flooding of rivers, streams, urban and poor drainage areas for Western and Central Massachusetts and Northern Connecticut. Soaking Rain expected in Eastern New England but with lesser amounts and flooding not anticipated..
..A Flood Watch is in effect from late tonight through Saturday Morning for Franklin, Hampden, Hampshire Counties of Massachusetts and Hartford and Tolland Counties of Connecticut for 2-3″ of rain with isolated higher amounts potentially causing flooding of rivers, streams, urban and poor drainage areas. Areas outside of the Flood Watch could see 0.50″-1.50″ of rain with isolated higher amounts..
..SKYWARN Self-Activation will monitor for rain gauge and flooding reports Friday through Saturday. Another coordination message will be posted, if necessary, Friday Morning for any significant changes to the current forecast if time allows. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Flood Watch Statement, Area Forecast Discussion and Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook..

NWS Boston/Norton Flood Watch Statement:
https://forecast.weather.gov/product.php?site=NWS&issuedby=BOX&product=FFA&format=CI&version=1&glossary=1&highlight=off

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

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)
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://twitter.com/wx1box
Subscribe on YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/@wx1box-nwsboston-amateur-radio

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