Hello to all..

..The following is the first in a series of messages on Amateur Radio Field Day Weekend and providing information on the weather during this period. This is a tradition spanning over 15 years for Amateur Radio Operators involved with Field Day and the NWS Boston/Norton SKYWARN Program..
..2018 Field Day weekend has quiet weather for Friday but looks unsettled with the potential for rain and possibly heavier rain and can’t rule out an isolated thunderstorm along with cooler temperatures on Saturday and then the potential of isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms with strong to damaging winds, hail, frequent lightning and heavy rainfall on Sunday Afternoon/Evening potentially when Amateur Radio Field Day sites are breaking down stations and wrapping up for this year’s event. Weekend weather will be monitored closely..
..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 Day or Amateur Radio Week’ during the month of June or an ‘Amateur Radio Month’ for this month. It is both a fun/preparatory event for Ham Radio Operators for Emergency Communications scenarios..
..SKYWARN Activation on Saturday appears unlikely but will need to monitor for any potential for thunderstorms and attendant lightning risk and heavier rainfall. SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible Sunday Afternoon/Evening for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorm potential..

There are a large number of Amateur Radio Field Day sites across the NWS Boston/Norton 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 commonwealth of Massachusetts has declared this week to be Amateur Radio Week and Governor Baker has proclaimed Sunday June 24th, 2018 Amateur Radio Day in honor of the ARRL Field Day event. The details can be seen at the following links:

For Field Day weekend, Friday looks quiet weather wise with seasonable temperatures and dry conditions. As we get into Saturday, there could be general rain over Southern New England with cooler temperatures. There could also be heavier rainfall and the chance of an isolated thunderstorm though currently it looks more like a rain and heavier downpour situation versus a general thunderstorm concern but this will be monitored and updated again in the Friday Evening coordination message.

For Sunday, parameters could come together for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms with strong to damaging winds, hail, frequent lightning and heavy rainfall in the Sunday Afternoon and Evening timeframe as Field Day operations end and field day sites are securing. We are still 2+ days from this event and this will be updated with greater details as we get closer to this timeframe. This concern is mentioned in the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook.

Coordination messages later Friday and Saturday will help better define the outlook particularly for Sunday and the severe weather potential. Below are links to the NWS Boston/Norton Hazardous Weather Outlook and NWS Boston/Norton Experimental Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook:

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

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

Amateur Radio Field Day sites are still encouraged to bring a NOAA All-Hazards Weather Radio, monitor various cell phone weather apps where Amateur Operators may have those available and have a dedicated Ham Radio that can monitor their local SKYWARN Frequency for their area as a best safety and preparedness practice. Also sites that have mobile Internet capability can utilize that capability as a way to monitor for weather information. With Mobile Internet capability, utilizing Echolink to monitor the New England Reflector system on Echolink Conference *NEW-ENG3* Node: 9123/IRLP 9123 would be helpful as well. Please see the link below for the latest SKYWARN Frequency information for the region:
http://beta.wx1box.org/node/37

Given the threat for thunderstorms particularly on Sunday, lightning is a threat to any and all Amateur Radio Field Day sites. Remember your lightning safety tips and details on lightning safety can be seen at the following link:
https://www.weather.gov/safety/lightning

The next Amateur Radio Field Day coordination message will be posted by 1000 PM Friday Evening.

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

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Hello to all…

..Intense Heat and Humidity will grip the region on Monday. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1-6 PM EDT Monday for Hartford County Connecticut, Eastern Hampden, Eastern Franklin, Eastern Hampshire, Central and Southeast Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts for heat indices of around 100 degrees. People both in the heat advisory area and outside of the heat advisory area should take precautions against the heat and drink plenty of liquids for Monday..
..Along with the heat and humidity will be the potential for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms during the Monday Mid to Late Afternoon and Evening timeframe with strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall which could cause urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has portions of interior northwest, north-central and northeast Massachusetts and North-Central Connecticut and Northwest Rode Island in a marginal to slight risk for severe weather in the mid Monday Afternoon/Evening timeframe..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Monday Afternoon lasting through this evening..

Intense heat and humidity will grip the region Monday into Monday Night. This will result in high heat conditions with a heat advisory for portions of Southern New England as depicted in the headlines. Even in areas outside of the heat advisory areas precautions against the heat should be taken.

With the heat and humidity, a cold front will be approaching the region from north and west. There will be a reasonable level of instability and sufficient strong wind fields to allow for multi-cell clusters/lines or a line of strong to severe thunderstorms to develop in northern New England and moving south and east into the region towards late afternoon and evening. Two key items to determine the extent and coverage of any strong to severe thunderstorms:

1.) Cooling aloft in the atmosphere is marginal and this could make the thunderstorms more widely scattered from a strong to severe perspective. Other factors including a very moisture laden atmosphere could offset this condition.
2.) The timing of the cold front or a possible pre-frontal boundary making its way across the region to allow for forcing a trigger to take advantage of the level of instability and sufficient wind fields in the atmosphere. Thunderstorms will pop up in isolated fashion over the course of mid-afternoon and could become a bit more numerous toward early evening with the approach of the cold front.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Monday Afternoon lasting through this evening. This will be the last coordination message on this severe weather potential. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Heat Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Heat 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 Convective Day-1 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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Hello to all…

..Intense Heat and Humidity will grip the region on Monday. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1-6 PM EDT Monday for Hartford County Connecticut, Eastern Hampden, Eastern Franklin, Eastern Hampshire, Central and Southeast Middlesex, Suffolk, Norfolk and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts for heat indices of around 100 degrees. People both in the heat advisory area and outside of the heat advisory area should take precautions against the heat and drink plenty of liquids for Monday..
..Along with the heat and humidity will be the potential for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms during the Monday Mid to Late Afternoon and Evening timeframe with strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall which could cause urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has portions of interior northwest, north-central and northeast Massachusetts and North-Central Connecticut and Northwest Rode Island in a marginal to slight risk for severe weather in the mid Monday Afternoon/Evening timeframe..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Monday Afternoon lasting through this evening..

Intense heat and humidity will grip the region Monday into Monday Night. This will result in high heat conditions with a heat advisory for portions of Southern New England as depicted in the headlines. Even in areas outside of the heat advisory areas precautions against the heat should be taken.

With the heat and humidity, a cold front will be approaching the region from north and west. There will be a reasonable level of instability and sufficient strong wind fields to allow for multi-cell clusters/lines or a line of strong to severe thunderstorms to develop in northern New England and moving south and east into the region towards late afternoon and evening. Two key items to determine the extent and coverage of any strong to severe thunderstorms:

1.) Cooling aloft in the atmosphere is marginal and this could make the thunderstorms more widely scattered from a strong to severe perspective. Other factors including a very moisture laden atmosphere could offset this condition.
2.) The timing of the cold front or a possible pre-frontal boundary making its way across the region to allow for forcing a trigger to take advantage of the level of instability and sufficient wind fields in the atmosphere. Thunderstorms will pop up in isolated fashion over the course of mid-afternoon and could become a bit more numerous toward early evening with the approach of the cold front.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton will commence by 2 PM Monday Afternoon lasting through this evening. This will be the last coordination message on this severe weather potential. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Heat Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-1 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Heat 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 Convective Day-1 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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Read more

Hello to all…

..Intense Heat and Humidity will grip the region on Monday. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1-7 PM EDT for Hartford County Connecticut, Eastern Hampden, Middlesex and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts for heat indices of around 100 degrees. People both in the heat advisory area and outside of the heat advisory area should take precautions against the heat and drink plenty of liquids for Monday..
..Along with the heat and humidity will be the potential for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms during the Monday Late Afternoon and Evening timeframe with strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall which could cause urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has portions of interior northwest, north-central and northeast Massachusetts and North-Central Connecticut and Northwest Rode Island in a marginal to slight risk for severe weather in the late Monday Afternoon/Evening timeframe..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible late Monday Afternoon into Monday Evening..

Intense heat and humidity will grip the region Monday into Monday Night. This will result in high heat conditions with a heat advisory for portions of Southern New England as depicted in the headlines. Even in areas outside of the heat advisory areas precautions against the heat should be taken.

With the heat and humidity, a cold front will be approaching the region from north and west. There will be a reasonable level of instability and sufficient strong wind fields to allow for multi-cell clusters/lines or a line of strong to severe thunderstorms to develop in northern New England and moving south and east into the region towards late afternoon and evening. Two key items to determine the extent and coverage of any strong to severe thunderstorms:

1.) Cooling aloft in the atmosphere is marginal and this could make the thunderstorms more widely scattered from a strong to severe perspective. Other factors including a very moisture laden atmosphere could offset this condition.
2.) The timing of the cold front or a possible pre-frontal boundary making its way across the region to allow for forcing a trigger to take advantage of the level of instability and sufficient wind fields in the atmosphere.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible late Monday Afternoon into Monday Evening. Another coordination message will be issued by 930 AM ET Monday. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Heat Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Heat 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 Convective Day-2 Outlook:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2018/day2otlk_20180617_1730.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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Hello to all…

..Intense Heat and Humidity will grip the region on Monday. A Heat Advisory is in effect from 1-7 PM EDT for Hartford County Connecticut, Eastern Hampden, Middlesex and Western Essex Counties of Massachusetts for heat indices of around 100 degrees. People both in the heat advisory area and outside of the heat advisory area should take precautions against the heat and drink plenty of liquids for Monday..
..Along with the heat and humidity will be the potential for isolated to scattered strong to severe thunderstorms during the Monday Late Afternoon and Evening timeframe with strong to damaging winds, hail, heavy rainfall which could cause urban and poor drainage flooding and frequent lightning..
..The Storm Prediction Center (SPC) has portions of interior northwest, north-central and northeast Massachusetts and North-Central Connecticut and Northwest Rode Island in a marginal to slight risk for severe weather in the late Monday Afternoon/Evening timeframe..
..SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible late Monday Afternoon into Monday Evening..

Intense heat and humidity will grip the region Monday into Monday Night. This will result in high heat conditions with a heat advisory for portions of Southern New England as depicted in the headlines. Even in areas outside of the heat advisory areas precautions against the heat should be taken.

With the heat and humidity, a cold front will be approaching the region from north and west. There will be a reasonable level of instability and sufficient strong wind fields to allow for multi-cell clusters/lines or a line of strong to severe thunderstorms to develop in northern New England and moving south and east into the region towards late afternoon and evening. Two key items to determine the extent and coverage of any strong to severe thunderstorms:

1.) Cooling aloft in the atmosphere is marginal and this could make the thunderstorms more widely scattered from a strong to severe perspective. Other factors including a very moisture laden atmosphere could offset this condition.
2.) The timing of the cold front or a possible pre-frontal boundary making its way across the region to allow for forcing a trigger to take advantage of the level of instability and sufficient wind fields in the atmosphere.

SKYWARN Activation with Ops at NWS Boston/Norton are possible late Monday Afternoon into Monday Evening. Another coordination message will be issued by 930 AM ET Monday. Below is the NWS Boston/Norton Heat Advisory Statement, Hazardous Weather Outlook, Enhanced Hazardous Weather Outlook and SPC Day-2 Convective Outlook:

NWS Boston/Norton Heat 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 Convective Day-2 Outlook:
http://www.spc.noaa.gov/products/outlook/archive/2018/day2otlk_20180617_1730.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
Like us on Facebook – http://www.facebook.com/wx1box
Follow us on Twitter – http://twitter.com/wx1box

Read more

Hello to all….

There have been a number of inquiries regarding a location for the 2018 ARRL Hurricane Webinar recording. It is now available on Youtube via the ARRL Youtube channel at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzp9vLv4PvY&feature=youtu.be

We hope many folks listen and enjoy the 2018 ARRL Hurricane Webinar recording!

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

Hello to all….

There have been a number of inquiries regarding a location for the 2018 ARRL Hurricane Webinar recording. It is now available on Youtube via the ARRL Youtube channel at the following link:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gzp9vLv4PvY&feature=youtu.be

We hope many folks listen and enjoy the 2018 ARRL Hurricane Webinar recording!

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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Hello to all…

The ARRL will be sponsoring the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season Webinar on Monday 6/11/18 at 800 PM EDT. Details on how to register for this very interesting webinar can be seen at the following link:

http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-to-sponsor-2018-atlantic-hurricane-season-webinar

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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Hello to all…

June 1st marked the start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season. NWS Boston/Norton has sent out a Public Information Statement regarding the start of the season including storm names, some Southern New England Hurricane History and tropical system safety tips. The National Hurricane Center has now started issuing their Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlooks and have provided info on storm names and their various products. Details at the following links:

NWS Boston/Norton  Public Information Statement – Start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/pns_start_of_hurricane_season_2018_NWS_BOX.txt

National Hurricane Center – Start of the 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season – Tropical Weather Outlook and Overview of Products:
http://beta.wx1box.org/local/two_atl_nhc_hurricane_season_start_2018.txt

It never hurts to have preparations in place and review safety rules prior to any impending tropical system affecting the region. This info can help you stay informed and understand products issued by the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service in Boston/Norton and prepare properly if Southern New England were to be affected by a tropical system this season.

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

Read more

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

Read more