SKYWARN Newsletter #201

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Hello to all...

President's Day Snow Storm Report Sent Out and Posted on Web Site...

SKYWARN Strategy Meeting for 3/15/03 at 2 PM at NWS Taunton...

SKYWARN Training Update...

SKYWARN Self-Activation Report for 3/6/03...

Newsletter Issued: 3/9/03.

President's Day Snow Storm Report Sent Out and Posted on Web Site...

The President's Day Snow Storm Report has been sent out on the email

list and is posted at the following link on the web site.

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo/presstrm.htm

A HEARTY THANK YOU to all the people that participated that reported

snowfall and wind information to NWS Taunton during this long duration

major storm.

SKYWARN Strategy Meeting for 3/15/03 at 2 PM at NWS Taunton...

The SKYWARN Strategy Meeting for ARES/RACES/SKYWARN Coordinators,

Net Controls, and Alternate Net Controls will be this upcoming

Saturday March 15th at 2 PM at NWS Taunton. The following is an

agenda setup for the meeting:

I.) SKYWARN 2003 Presentation Review

-Review goals and challenges in 2003.

II.) SKYWARN Training Update

A.) Review Confirmed dates and last number of sites to be worked.

B.) Distribute a small number of CD’s with the SKYWARN training so that Amateurs can do refresher classes.

C.) Go over the SKYWARN Newsletter Email List Sign-Up and Sign-Up for Amateur Coordinators to call Spotters.

D.) Assure we have people to assist in setup at all the SKYWARN training sites.

E.) Assure that wide publicity of SKYWARN training sites is done via Public Information Statements and NOAA WX Radio.

III.) Review Processes for Snow Storm Information Gathering

A.) Review and instill better processes to handle snowfall-reporting information.

B.) Make the process work in such a way that fits in with existing SKYWARN Operations.

C.) Cover all details and situations that handle both forecaster and spotter issues.

D.) See how this might be applied to other winter and summertime weather situations.

IV.) Storm Ready Program Update

A.) Update on towns being considered for Storm Ready including ones submitted by Amateur Radio EMA Directors or directors known by Amateur Radio (ie: Swanzey, NH, Merrimack, NH, Manchester, CT, Millville, MA, Smithfield, RI, Portsmouth RI)

B.) Assure that the building of these Storm Ready communities enhances SKYWARN.

V.) Adding Equipment Capability at NWS Taunton

A.) Internet Justification Review

B.) Review a policy where donated radios could be utilized as additional equipment in case of radio failure and for added capability until NWS funds become available.

C.) Discuss if a Technical Committee Meeting is required for these topics.

VI.) ARRL-NWS Memorandum of Understanding Rewrite

A.) Review a draft of a new National Memorandum of Understanding.

B.) Highlight revisions needed to the draft Memorandum of Understanding.

C.) Put together a process to have this Memorandum of Understanding reviewed.

D.) Decide how this needs to be propagated through the ARRL and NWS chain of command.

VII.) NOAA WX Radio Transmitter Status

A.) Discuss state of new transmitters on Pack Monadnock and Gloucester, MA.

B.) Discuss any other changes to NOAA WX Radio transmitters.

VIII.) NWS Taunton News and Topics

IX.) Set the Date for the Next SKYWARN Strategy Meeting

SKYWARN Training Update...

The following is an update to the SKYWARN training schedule as a couple

of additional sessions have been added. More sessions are hoped to be

added over the next few weeks as work is ongoing with sites across

the region. This schedule can also be seen at:

http://users.rcn.com/trsched.htm

The following is an update on SKYWARN training for year 2003. Further

updates will be posted as needed.

03/31/2003 6:30-9:30PM Monadnock Regional High School

Mon. 600 Old Homestead Highway

East Swanzey, NH

Directions Obtained at: http://www.nhom.org/maps/swanzey.html

04/1/2003 7-10 PM Pomfret Community School

Tues. 20 Pomfret Street

Pomfret Center, CT

04/3/2003 7-10PM Rocky Hill Fire Departement HQ/Co. #3

Thurs. 3050 Main Street

Rocky Hill, CT

04/05/2003 Noon-3PM Falmouth Town Hall

Thurs. Falmouth, MA

04/08/2003 6:30-9:30PM Manchester Memorial Elementary School

Tues. Manchester, MA

04/10/2002 7-10PM The Carriage House-Manchester, NH Red Cross Chapter

Thurs. 1800 Elm Street

Manchester, NH

04/28/2003 6:30-9:30PM Walpole, NH Town Library

Mon. Walpole, NH

04/29/2003 7-10PM Sturdy Memorial Hospital

Tues. Rice-Webb Auditorium

Attleboro, MA

05/3/2003 Noon-3PM Newport Public Library

Sat. 300 Spring Street

Newport, RI

05/7/2003 7-10PM Plymouth Community Intermediate School

Wed. 117 Long Pond Road

Plymouth, MA

05/8/2003 7-10PM Walpole Town Hall/Senior Center

Thurs. Walpole, MA

05/17/2003 7-10PM Wilbraham Middle School Auditorium

Sat. 466 Stony Hill Road

Wilbraham, MA

05/19/2003 7-10PM Nashua City Hall

Mon. 229 Main Street

Nashua, NH

06/09/2003 7-10PM Worcester Emergency Management Operations Center

Mon. 50 Skyline Drive

Worcester, MA

06/10/2003 6:30-9:30PM Nantucket Fire Department EOC

Tues. 131 Lower Pleasant Street

Nantucket, MA

SKYWARN Self-Activation Report for 3/6/03...

SKYWARN was self-activated across the region as a quick-hitting

moderate snowstorm was a bit heavier than expected and resulted in

three major accidents. One accident on Interstate 95 shut down the

highway on the south bound side for a couple of hours from Exit 4

to the RI State border as 50-100 cars were either spun off the road

or collided with each other. It was not a pile-up per se but a lot

of accidents and spin-outs over a stretch from Exit 4 on I-95 in

Attleboro to the RI State border. A second accident occurred on Route

24 with a 20 car pile-up and a third accident occurred on Route 3 in

the Duxbury-Pembroke area with a 40 car pile-up reported.

Carl Aveni-N1FY, provided information on the accidents as NWS requested

information on the incidents. The incidents appeared to be caused by

snowfall that rapidly turned heavy, initially melted and then froze

as temperatures fell and snow became heavy. A 1" glare icing occurred

on major highways resulting in the major accidents. Luckily, no other

damage or significant accidents occurred other than the 3 accidents

noted.

Total snowfall from this storm was 6-12" across Eastern Massachusetts,

Rhode Island and Connecticut with amounts of 2-7" common across Southern

New Hampshire and Massachusetts north of the Mass. Pike. The higher

amounts of snowfall were closer to the Mass. Pike. SKYWARN Spotters

from across the region forwarded snowfall reports via email or via

the spotter line to NWS Taunton Meteorologists.

A hearty thank you to all spotters and coordinators who assisted in

sending snowfall reports into NWS Taunton and to Carl-N1FY for gathering

info on the major accidents that occurred in Southeastern Massachusetts.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)

ARES SKYWARN Coordinator

SEMCARES Emergency Coordinator

Pager #: (508) 354-3142

Home Phone #: (508) 994-1875 (After 6 PM)

Home/Data #: (508) 997-4503 (After 6 PM)

Work Phone #: 1-800-445-2588 Ext.: 72929 (8 AM-5 PM)

Email Address: rmacedo@rcn.com

http://users.rcn.com/rmacedo

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