SKYWARN Newsletter #236

Hello to all....

SKYWARN Newsletter #236 is dedicated to the Major Severe Weather

Outbreak of Wednesday August 2nd, 2006 caused by a derecho. This Major Severe

Weather Outbreak was the biggest severe event since Mat 31st, 1998.

The NWS Taunton Local Storm Report featured almost 80 severe weather

reports, meaning reports of hail and wind damage. This puts this

event as one of the larger severe episodes to affect the region

over the past 10 years. Derecho is Spanish for big wind. For details

on what derechos are, see the link below as provided by the Storm

Prediction Center in Norman Oklahoma:

http://www.spc.noaa.gov/misc/AbtDerechos/derechofacts.htm

The event occurred on Wednesday August 2nd, 2006. It was an extremely

hot and humid day in Southern New England with temperatures near or

just over 100 degrees with dewpoints well into the 70's. An impulse

would move through portions of Southern New England area across

Western, South-Central and Southeastern Massachusetts, Rhode Island

and Northern Connecticut and result in a widespread severe weather

outbreak.

SKYWARN was activated with Ops at WX1BOX, NWS Taunton, around 3 PM

EDT. Carl Aveni-N1FY was first present at the NWS Taunton Forecast

Office. Thunderstorms developed in extreme Eastern New York State

and moved into Western Massachusetts. Ray Weber-KA1JJM activated

SKYWARN in Western Massachusetts with assistance of George Bourassa,

KB2SAE, and Eric Tuller, N1QKO. The 146.91-Mount Greylock,

146.94-Mount Tom and 146.985-Greenfield Repeaters were utilized

during this event in Western Massachusetts. As the storms moved

into extreme Berkshire County reports of wind damage were received

from storms that didn't look severe on radar. As the storms

continued to move into Western Franklin County, trees down on wires

were reported in Conway and Ashfield at 418 PM with additional trees

down on wires on Steady Lane in Ashfield at 4:22 PM. Trees were

also reported down in the Enfield and Somers, Connecticut area. Severe

Thunderstorm Warnings were issued for Central Worcester, Eastern

Franklin and Eastern Hampshire counties and the reports came in

rapidly of wind damage.

Numerous reports of trees and wires down were received in Easthampton,

Hadley, Granby, Belchertown, Ware, Westhampton, Palmer, West Springfield,

Springfield, and Ludlow. This included trees down on houses and vehicles,

widespread power outages and a roof blown off of an old Apartment

structure in Springfield. Damage was so significant in the Springfield

area, emergency officials requested that all residents stay indoors

and not venture outside until crews had enough time to complete

damage clean up in the area. The damage was consistent with

significant straight line winds that derechos can produce.

As the severe thunderstorms moved into

Worcester County operations were shifted to the 146.970-Paxton

Repeater. Reports of wind damage and large hail were received via

the Paxton Repeater SKYWARN Net with 3/4" hail and large limbs

and trees down in Holden, with trees and large branches blown

down in Auburn, Shrewsbury, Charlton, Webster, Worcester, Ashland

and Westboro. An AM Radio Station tower was blown down on the

Southbridge/Dudley line from winds of 80-100 MPH estimated from the

extent of the damage. Large branches were also reported down in

Thompson, CT from Amateurs in that area.

Operations shifted eastward to Northeast Connecticut, Rhode Island

and Southeast Massachusetts. Reports of trees down were received

in Killingly, CT and Foster, RI. 1/4-1/2" hail was reported in

Warwick, RI and 3/4" hail was reported in Tiverton, RI.

Reports of large limbs, trees and wires down were received in

Tiverton, Newport and Portsmouth RI from KD4ONW. Power

Outages were reported in Chepachet, RI area. SKYWARN was active

on the 147.225-Killingly, CT and 146.70-Cranston, RI repeaters.

Amateurs active in net control/liaison duties included Bob Munro,

W1AMF, Bernie Dubb-KB1DGY, Martin Mendelson-N1JMA, Bill Boyes-KB1G,

and Jim Cahill-N1TZM.

Operations were very active in Southeast Massachusetts as Severe

Thunderstorms slammed this area. SKYWARN was active on the

146.895-Walpole, 147.180-Bridgewater and 145.490-Fairhaven Repeaters.

Reports of trees and wires down some falling on to vehicles and homes

were reported in Medway, Sharon, Brockton, West Bridgewater, East

Bridgewater, Taunton, Hanson, Whitman, Foxboro, Dartmouth, Fairhaven,

and New Bedford, Massachusetts. Particularly hard hit were the

communities of Sharon, Medway and Brockton where tree and wire

clean-up continued well into the next day with some roads remaining

closed through that period of time. A measured wind gust of 58

MPH was reported by the Plymouth, Massachusetts ASOS station at the

airport. Amateurs active with net control duties included Dave Doe,

K1HRV, Roger Turner, W1ZSA, Gil Follett-W1GMF, Byron Piette-K1YCQ

and Roy Logan-KB1CYV.

A Public Information Statement and Local Storm Report was issued

by NWS Taunton finalizing this event and the causes of it. This

information was posted in a prior email to the newsletter list. Special

thanks to all those that supported this significant major severe

weather outbreak that affected a large part of Southern New England.

Respectfully Submitted,

Robert Macedo (KD1CY)

ARES SKYWARN Coordinator

Eastern Massachusetts ARES Section 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

Back to the SKYWARN Newsletter Archive