W 9 P V R The Pine Valley Repeater Amateur Radio Club

WHAT IS SKYWARN?:

The SKYWARN program is a partnership between the National Weather Service (NWS) and the community. It was formed in the early 1970's after major tornado outbreaks ravaged many areas, with its chief aim being to reduce the threat to our communities from severe storms.

The key element of the program is a network of volunteer non-NWS personnel ("storm spotters") who relay reports of severe weather to the community and NWS. Even with today's new technology at our disposal, only one instrument can detect severe weather phenomena directly with absolute certainty -- the human eye.

A large network of spotters can be of great benefit to the NWS warning program. The basis for, and/or verification of, many severe weather warnings, issued by the NWS, may be directly attributed to SKYWARN storm spotters. Their reports are considered highly credible by NWS personnel, and are regarded highly. They assist the NWS in performing our top mission, which is to prepare and distribute warnings and forecasts of impending severe weather. SKYWARN storm spotters help to provide the citizens of their community with potentially left-saving information. We realize that members of this elite group are volunteering their time and effort to provide this invaluable service. Their efforts are greatly appreciated.

           Many NWS storm spotters are also Amateur Radio operators. This dual role can be helpful during a major storm such

           as hurricanes, tornados, and severe storms when phone and power lines are down. Amateur Radio operators, manning  

           strategic sites around the community, may become the primary means of communications.

While there are no specific requirements, it is preferred that SKYWARN volunteers are reachable in the event something suspicious is happening in the skies in their area. It must also be stressed that we are looking for reliable and objective reports. When wind speed or hail size is exaggerated, for example, it can do more harm than good.

Storm spotting classes are conducted yearly by the NWS in La Crosse, WI. It is encouraged that those wishing to become storm spotters to attend a class near your community.

If you would like to become a Richland County SKYWARN storm spotter, please contact Chris Kanable, KC9CMD, Richland County SKYWARN Coordinator at (608)647-4881 (h), or (608)475-0320 (c). You may also contact Chris at: Chris.Kanable()gmail.com

           When going Mobile:

            When you go mobile and being on the road, even on a sunny day with no storms, driving a vehicle on a public

            roadway can be dangerous.  When you add STORMS – with heavy rain, gusty winds, hail, blowing dust, etc. – the 

            danger increases dramatically.  To stay safe as a mobile spotter, keep these things in mind:

a.      If you can, try to spot with a partner – This allows the driver to focus on the road while the passenger watches 

     the sky.  This also provides an extra set of eyes to keep an eye on rapidly changing situations.

                 b.  Watch for water on the road – Hydroplaning is a serious threat for drivers, and it doesn’t take much rain to

                      cause roads to become slick and hazardous.

                 c.  Obey traffic laws – Speeding, parking too close to the edge of the road and making sudden turns and stops on 

                      unfamiliar roads all spell trouble.

                 d.  Watch out for the “other guy” – Severe storms often draw a crowd of “gawkers”, from casual observers to 

                      organized groups of storm spotters.  Be extra careful when stopping to view a storm, making sure to pull

                      completely off roadways and keeping an eye out for traffic, even in places where you would never expect to see

                      traffic.

                  e.  Make sure your vehicle is ready for action – A well-maintained vehicle with a full tank of gas is crucial for a

                      mobile spotter’s safety and success.

            Lightning:

a.      All thunderstorms produce lightning, and people are killed and injured each year by lightning.  Storm spotters 

      may put themselves as risk from lightning by being in the open, being on a hill or high spot (for better    

      visibility, parking or standing next to metal fences or underneath power lines, standing close to camera tripods

      or using radio equipment attached to an antenna.

b.      Remember that lightning typically provides no warning – the first strike that you see may be the last.  Follow

      these basic lightning safety guidelines:

1.      Avoid being the tallest object, and stay away from other tall objects (like trees, power pole/lines).

2.      Don’t stand close to fences or power poles/lines.  Even though you may not be in an area of frequent    

                           lightning, lightning can travel a considerable distance along these pathways.

3.      As mentioned before, you should not wait for some type of warning (hair standing on end, sounds on   

                          AM or other radio equipment, etc.) before taking shelter from lightning – the first strike from a storm    

                          could be the one that gets you.  Treat lightning with respect and stay in a protected area when lightning

                          is in the area.  Stay in your car!

4.      CPR training is an excellent idea for all mobile storm spotters.  Remember that a person struck by

                           lightning carries no residual charge and CPR could save a life.

                The Storm:

a.      If a mobile storm spotter is well trained, experienced and knowledgeable about severe storm structure and

     behavior, they can usually avoid becoming a victim of the storm itself.  However, the environment in and near    

     a severe storm can change dramatically in a short period of time, and these changes can catch you by surprise. 

     These basic tips can help you stay safe:

                                    1.  Avoid the most intense areas of storms – This seems obvious, but each year spotters, for one reason

                                      or another, make decisions that place them in the core of a dangerous storm.  Storm chasers --- not   

                                      the same as storm spotters --- call this “core punching” and it’s a very dangerous practice for a

                                      number of reasons.  First, you may drive into very large hail, which can damage your vehicle and

                                      injure you.  Second, you could drive right into the path of a tornado with very little time to react.

                                      And finally, the core of the storm is a dangerous place with low visibilities, heavy rain, and violent

                                      winds.

                                    2.  Keep your head on a swivel --- When observing a storm, it is easy to lose focus and become fixated

                                      on some feature you’re watching.  You should maintain awareness of what’s going on all around you

                                      and always mindful of a surprise event.  This points out the important of spotting with a partner, who

                                      can be an extra set of eyes and ears to help you stay safe.

3.      ALWAYS have an escape route in mind --- Mobile spotters should always plan an emergency escape

route that will take them out of harm’s way should the storm change direction or otherwise threaten

them.  Determining that escape routes require a great deal of knowledge about the storm’s movement

and behavior.  A detailed set of current maps of your spotting area is a critical part of a mobile

spotter’s go-bag, but be mindful of the fact that roads sometimes change before maps do, and they may not reflect reality in every case.

4.      NEVER drive into areas where water covers the road --- This is especially true when you cannot be certain how deep the water is.  Many people die each year by driving into flooded areas and drowning in their vehicles.  Find another safer route.

5.   Keep your engine running --- Especially when operating close to a severe storm  You do not want to find out about a vehicle problem as a violent storm bears down on you.                                                                                                                                                              

6.  Be extra cautious at night --- Obviously, it is more dangerous to deal with something you cannot clearly see.  Storms at night present special problems for spotters and you should be extremely cautious when observing storms after dark.

FINALLY --- If you don’t have much experience in storm spotting, start by teaming up with someone who does!                   

                 Skywarn events to report:               

                      You can download events here

Some good weather links:

La Crosse Weather Station

Weather Underground

Milwaukee Weather Maps

This is a good site

Another good site

Something you might see when observing weather radar:

• When interpreting weather radar, you might see something like this: dBZ. What does this mean? This is used for reflectivity in meteorology. dBZ is related to the number of drops of water per unit volume and the 6th power of their diameter. It can also be related to rainfall rate. You will especially see this in the charts on the Weather Underground radar and the legend found on the La Crosse NWS radar.

·         In the table below, a guideline on the interpretation of dBZ factors are given. Hope this helps:

Here is a good link showing videos of WALL CLOUDS:

• If you have trouble identifying rotating wall clouds, go here and do a search for "rotating wall clouds." Some awesome video clips come up.

Link to Weather Radio:

• Chris, KC9CMD -- Skywarn Coordinator -- would like to have you aware of the NOAA weather radio source. Here it is:

Another link to NOAA Streaming Weather Radio:

• For a good site to find weather radio in the U.S., go here.

The National Weather Service (NWS) in La Crosse, WI:

• For an interesting tour of the NWS station in La Crosse, WI, go here.

MIDLAND WEATHER RADIO:

• The Pine Valley Repeater Amateur Radio Club has available for sale several Midland WR-100 All Hazards Alert Weather Radios -- NOAA compliant.
• Protect your family with immediate notification of severe weather or civil emergencies.
• Contact Shawn or Laura Rockland of the PVR Radio Club at (608)-649-1867 or email lsrockland()mwt.net for more information.
• The radios sell for $39.95. Get yours while they last.

AVAILABLE FROM PVR

• If you do purchase one of these weather radios, we are including a link to the county codes that may be programmed. The link is: County Codes
• The codes are under the heading SAME#. See the Programming Manual that comes with the radio.

Converting KNOTS to MPH Chart:

• Sometimes weather wind speed reports are given in KNOTS rather than MPH.
• If you have an anemometer, it may be calibrated in KNOTS. To convert the knots reading to mph, you may use this chart as a guide.

Convert from one speed to another

Type a value in one box and click here to see the results

Math Conversion Table:

• If you wish, you may use this table to convert KNOTS to MPH mathematically.

1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour = 6076 feet per hour = 1.15078 mph
1 mph = 1 mile per hour = 5280 feet per hour = 0.86898 knots per hour

• For instance. Suppose your anemometer, calibrated in KNOTS, shows wind speed at 10 knots. Simply multiply 10 by l.l5 = 11.5 mph. To verify, try this with the above chart.
• If you want to convert a wind speed of 20 mph to knots. Multiply 20 by 0.86. You get 17.2 knots. Check it with the chart. Pretty close, right?

CONVERTING LOCAL TIME TO UTC TIME - CHART: