SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY 2015 – A SUCCESS!

SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) took place Saturday, December 5, 2015, from 0000-2400 UTC. Created in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League, the event celebrated the contributions that SKYWARN radio operators make to the National Weather Service to help keep their communities safe. During the event, SKYWARN operators contacted other NWS offices and spotters across the nation. Radio operators exchanged names, call signs, locations, signal reports, and a 1 or 2-word weather report. Over 90 NWS offices across the country participated in this annual event.

Central Carolina SKYWARN (CCS) enthusiastically teamed up with the Raleigh National Weather Service for the 16th annual SKYWARN Recognition Day, operating under the call sign WX4NC.

On the air from 7-10:30pm on Friday and 8am-7pm on Saturday at the NWS office on Centennial Campus in Raleigh, the WX4NC team consisted of NWS Warning Coordination Meteorologist Nick Petro WX3H, former NWS Meteorologist-in-Charge Darin Figurskey KC2IPY, CCS Emergency Coordinator Virginia Enzor NC4VA, CCS Assistant Emergency Coordinator Bob Woodson WX4MMM, CCS Assistant Emergency Coordinator Scott Lewis KJ4BPV, Statewide Deputy AUXCOMM Coordinator Frank Pleshe N3FRP, Assistant Section Emergency Coordinator – Central Branch Steve Misel K4WEB, Wake County Assistant Emergency Director Steve Newton KJ4TTU, Jackson Newton, Lauren Petro KF7RCU, John Stone K3RHJ, Pam Lewis KB4PAM, Ken Stark W4KJS, Randy Stark WN4RSS, and Jose Guzman KD4JWF.

For VHF/UHF, we used two permanently installed dual band Kenwood TMD7 radios with Diamond dual band vertical antennas and a temporary ICOM 208 with magmount antenna.

There were 3 HF radios – the NWS’ Kenwood TS 570S, Scott Lewis’ Kenwood TS 120, and Virginia Enzor’s IC-7000. Antennas included a Buckmaster and inverted dipoles for 20 and 40 meters.

Good propagation and teamwork favored us to earn the F1 Tornado certificate by contacting 51 NWS offices. We also contacted 44 out of 50 states and accumulated at total of 352 contacts. Our most distant contacts were 2E0LUN in Kempston Rural, England and OE3CHC in Vienna, Austria! To see the scores of all participating offices, please visit http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/mtr/hamradio/.

The goal for 2016 will be the highest certification: Category 5 Hurricane!

We wish to thank to all spotters who made contacts with us, and we hope to get you in the log again next year on SRD. And most importantly, thanks for your service and reports to SKYWARN and the NWS throughout the year.

WX4NC SRD Team From L to R (Front Row) Lauren Petro KF7RCU, Scott Lewis AB4SL, Virginia Enzor NC4VA, Pam Lewis KB4PAM (Middle Row) Nick Petro WX3H, Scott Lewis AB4SL, Virginia Enzor NC4VA, John Stone K3RHJ (Back Row) Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Stark W4KJS, Randy Stark WN4RSS Not pictured: Frank Pleshe N3FRP, Darin Figurskey KC2IPY, Jose Guzman KD4JWF, Steve Newton KJ4TTU and Steve Newton.
WX4NC SRD Team From L to R
(Front Row) Lauren Petro KF7RCU, Scott Lewis AB4SL, Virginia Enzor NC4VA, Pam Lewis KB4PAM
(Middle Row) Nick Petro WX3H, Scott Lewis AB4SL, Virginia Enzor NC4VA, John Stone K3RHJ
(Back Row) Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Stark W4KJS, Randy Stark WN4RSS
Not pictured: Frank Pleshe N3FRP, Darin Figurskey KC2IPY, Jose Guzman KD4JWF, Steve Newton KJ4TTU and Steve Newton.
L to R Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Jackson Newton, and Steve Newton KJ4TTU
L to R
Bob Woodson WX4MMM, Jackson Newton, and Steve Newton KJ4TTU
NICK Petro WX3H Warning Coordination Meteorologist and Darin Figurskey KC2IPY former Meteorologist-in-Charge
NICK Petro WX3H Warning Coordination Meteorologist and Darin Figurskey KC2IPY former Meteorologist-in-Charge

 

 

SKYWARN RECOGNITION DAY 2015

SKYWARN Recognition Day 2015 officially takes place Saturday, December 5 from 0000-2400 UTC. Over 100 National Weather Services offices across the nation, including the Raleigh National Weather Service, are expected to participate in this annual event.

SKYWARN Recognition Day was developed in 1999 by the National Weather Service and the American Radio Relay League to celebrate the contributions that SKYWARN radio operators/spotters make to the National Weather Service. During a 24 hour period, SKYWARN operators visit NWS offices and contact other radio operators across the world.

Central Carolina SKYWARN, operating under the call sign WX4NC, will join in the fun on Friday night (December 4) from 7 PM to midnight and Saturday from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, making contacts on the WB4TQD 146.88 repeater, the K4ITL 147.105 repeater, the K4ITL 147.135 repeater, the Carolina 440 UHF Link System, IRLP, Echolink (WX3H and WX4NC), and HF (10, 15, 20, 40 & 80 meters SSB).

Radio operators will exchange names, call signs, locations, signal reports, and a 1or 2-word weather report.

New this year is a special event certificate from the Raleigh National Weather which takes the place of a QSL card!  The word fillable certificate can be downloaded here.

Hope to get you in the log!

CHANGE REGARDING SPOTTER ID NUMBERS

Per the Raleigh National Weather Service SKYWARN webpage,  “EFFECTIVE IMMEDIATELY:  NWS Raleigh has discontinued the issuance of, and use of spotter ID numbers.   Spotters who wish to obtain some sort of identification number are encouraged to consider becoming a CoCoRaHS observer to supplement their SKYWARN service.”

When making reports via the Central Carolina SKYWARN Net, CCS Facebook page, telephone call to the NWS or by some other method, please do not use your spotter ID. Please provide your name and location as the method of identification. You may indicate if you are a trained spotter.

 

WINTER WEATHER NET ACTIVATION MARCH 6

Central Carolina SKYWARN will activate  on Friday, March 6, from 6 am to 7 am on the 146.88 repeater to take winter weather reports per the direction of the Raleigh National Weather Service.

Spotter reports should include the following information:
Name, spotter number, callsign, if any
Location
Total accumulation or ice accretion
Impacts such as road conditions and sustained power outages (not just blinking)

Our backup repeater will be the 147.105 repeater with a tone of 82.5 Hz located in Broadway, NC.

Folks may make reports via the SKYWARN net or on the Central Carolina SKYWARN Facebook page.

The SKYWARN Net may also be monitored via live-streamed audio at www.broadcastify.com.

The net will run for one hour only. Hope to hear your personal spotter report Friday morning!

WINTER WEATHER ACTIVATION FEB. 25, 2015

Central Carolina SKYWARN  (CCS) will activate for this event per the direction of the Raleigh National Weather service.  We will activate on the 146.88 when the precipitation begins in the CCS area, and then start formal nets at the top of each hour tonight until 12:00 midnight. We will begin again at 06:00 AM Thursday and continue until the NWS directs us to stand down. We will monitor in between nets for any changeovers in precipitation.

Spotter reports should include the following information:

  • Name, call sign, and spotter number if any
  • Location and nearest cross street
  • Precipitation type (rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow)
  • Intensity of precipitation (light, moderate or heavy)
  • Changeovers in precipitation and time
  • Accumulation of ice accretion
  • Impacts such as road conditions (particularly any roads that are impassable or closed), sustained power outages (not just blinking), and downed limbs/trees from ice.

Our backup repeater will be the 147.105 repeater with a tone of 82.5 Hz located in Broadway, NC.

Folks may make reports via the SKYWARN net, or post here on the Central Carolina SKYWARN Facebook page.

The SKYWARN Net may also be monitored via live-streamed audio at www.broadcastify.com .

We appreciate your reports. Stay safe!

Winter Weather Activation FEB. 24, 2015

Central Carolina SKYWARN will activate for this event per the direction of the Raleigh National Weather service.  We will activate on the 146.88 beginning at 07:00 and do a winter weather net at the top of each hour until midnight.  We will do so for the duration of the event or until the NWS directs us to stand down.   We will monitor in between nets for any changeovers in precipitation.

Spotter reports should include the following information:

  • Name, call sign, and spotter number if any
  • Location
  • Precipitation type (rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow)
  • Intensity of precipitation (light, moderate or heavy)
  • Changeovers in precipitation and time
  • Accumulation or ice accretion
  • Impacts such as road conditions (particularly any roads that are impassable or closed), sustained power outages (not just blinking), and downed limbs/trees from ice.

Our backup repeater will be the 147.105 repeater with a tone of 82.5 Hz located in Broadway, NC.

Folks may make reports via the SKYWARN net or on the Central Carolina SKYWARN Facebook page.

The SKYWARN Net may also be monitored via live-streamed audio at www.broadcastify.com.

Hope to hear your personal spotter report later today!

ANNUAL SPOTTER TRAINING VIA THE NET FEB. 24 & MAR. 3

SKYWARN Spotter Training will be offered on the CCS Information Net on Feb. 24 & March 3 at 9:15 PM on the 146.88 repeater as part of the Severe Weather Preparedness Week.

This training may used to earn initial spotter certification or renew certification which is required every three years.

Part 1 of Basic Training will be Feb.24 ; Part 2, March 3. The instructor will be Nick Petro WX3H, Warning Coordination Meteorologist with the Raleigh National Weather Service.

To fully benefit from this training and to receive a spotter number, you must:

A. download the training presentation before each net from www.centralcarolinaskywarn.net  (It will be included with the Weekly Weather Impact Briefing.  Click on the Weekly Weather Impact Briefing on the top menu to download.)
B. listen and check in at the end of both nets, and
C. email CCS Emergency Coordinator Virginia Enzor at nc4va@nc.rr.com with your name, call sign (if licensed), spotter number (if already assigned) and email address.  The NWS will then contact you about completing the spotter certification process.

Scanner listeners and listeners receiving live streaming audio on the internet at www.broadcastify.com may also participate by downloading the presentations and emailing Virginia Enzor at nc4va@nc.rr.com immediately after both nets. Again, be sure to your name, call sign (if licensed), spotter number (if already assigned) and email address.

WINTER WEATHER ACTIVATION FEB. 16-17, 2015

Central Carolina SKYWARN will activate for this event per the direction of the Raleigh National Weather service.  We will activate on the 146.88 repeater late in the afternoon when the precip arrives and do a winter weather net at the top of each hour until midnight.  We will resume Tuesday morning at 6am for the duration of the event or until the NWS directs us to stand down.   We will monitor in between nets for any changeovers in precipitation.

Spotter reports should include the following information:

  • Name, call sign, and spotter number if any
  • Location
  • Precipitation type (rain, freezing rain, sleet, or snow)
  • Intensity of precipitation (light, moderate or heavy)
  • Changeovers in precipitation and time
  • Accumulation or ice accretion
  • Impacts such as road conditions (particularly any roads that are impassable or closed), sustained power outages (not just blinking), and downed limbs/trees from ice.

Our backup repeater will be the 147.105 repeater with a tone of 82.5 Hz located in Broadway, NC.

Folks may make reports via the SKYWARN net or on the Central Carolina SKYWARN Facebook page.

The SKYWARN Net may also be monitored via live-streamed audio at www.broadcastify.com.

Hope to hear your personal spotter report later today!

TORNADO FORECASTING WORKSHOP

The University of Oklahoma Student Chapter of the AMS (OUSCAMS) is presenting a Tornado Forecasting Workshop with Storm Prediction Center’s Rich Thompson. The series starts this Tuesday (Feb. 3), and runs from 7:30 – 9:00 p.m. CT. They will broadcast the workshops live on YouTube and record them for later viewing on the Chapter’s YouTube site. A flyer and current schedule of events is available below. Visit the OUSCAMS social media sites for more information.  Other scheduled presentation include:

February 10 – Severe storm ingredients (low-level moisture and lapse rates)

February 17 – Severe storm ingredients (vertical shear and lift)

March 3 – Supercell and tornado conceptual models (plus composite parameters)

March 10 – Tornado patterns (synoptic and mesoscale)

March 24 – Convective mode forecasting (squall lines vs. discrete cells)

April 7 – Tornado parameter climatology (spatial and temporal distributions of CAPE and shear)

April 14 – Numerical models and statistical techniques (convective schemes and post processing)

April 21 – Real-time forecasting exercise

WINTER WEATHER ACTIVATION – JANUARY 14, 2015

The potential for wintry weather across the Central Carolina SKYWARN coverage area exists for late Tuesday night through Wednesday morning January 13-14, 2015.

At the direction of the National Weather Service, Central Carolina SKYWARN will hold directed nets on the 146.88 repeater at the top of each hour beginning at 6am Wednesday morning for the duration of this winter weather event. The NWS will be looking for the following reports from spotters:

  • Ice accretion (accumulation)
  • Downed trees and power lines
  • Road conditions

Thanks for your reports!

The Eyes and Ears of the Raleigh National Weather Service