Training November 20, 2001

WX SPOTTER NETS - WHY? - by D. W. Thorne, K6SOJ

In today’s “super-techno-world” complete with high and low orbiting satellites, radar, Doppler systems, automated weather monitoring stations, computers, computers, and even more computers; plus not-so-new weather balloons, (yes, they still launch one every 12 hours from the Medford NWS Station), one might ask: “Why are volunteer weather spotters necessary?”

National Weather Service Meteorologists tell me that, even with all of the sophisticated high tech gear they have at their disposal; that actual ground, marine and aerial, observations and reports, from real, live, trained, human beings, provide important data that are not available any other way.

The southern Oregon / northern California region has many different topographical features and “micro climates”.  Volunteer observers often report hazardous conditions like icy conditions on roads, ground fog, and measurements during severe weather events.  YEAR ‘round. 

The Medford NWS Office has 445 trained and registered weather spotters in
its nine county service area.  Most reports are made via landline to the NWS using a special toll-free number.  But they also have more than fifty (50!) volunteer amateur radio operators, that have taken the NWS training and registered their stations as “Official WX Spotter Stations”.

Radio amateurs provide the primary method of reporting when telephone systems fail...as they can (and will) do during severe weather events. Amateurs also provide WX reports on local conditions when operating mobile. In the Midwest, in “tornado alley”, the SKYWARN program has saved many lives by providing the NWS with many extra “eyes and ears”.

I recall an actual incident a few years ago.  One late summer afternoon, I
was in the north Shasta Valley.   A severe thunderstorm was encountered, and we were soon being pelted with “3/4 inch plus” hail.  It sounded and felt like rocks and it was moving towards the County Airport!  Aware of the fact that hail of this size could cause significant damage to small aircraft, I called on a local 2M repeater for “any weather spotter”. W6FKI, Ted Graves in Mt. Shasta responded, noted my observation, relayed it to a station in Jackson County, who then notified the NWS in Medford, Oregon.

As the hailstorm moved eastward, I tuned to a NOAA station on 162.40 MHz,
“to see if my report was going to be used.”  Within minutes, MY REPORT was
issued over the NOAA VHF broadcast system as a severe weather WARNING!

“I LOVE IT WHEN A PLAN COMES TOGETHER!” - Colonel John "Hannibal" Smith of the A-TEAM.  --  This is just one (personal) example of WHY?
Here’s a few more:

- It promotes interest and involvement in public service by amateurs handling by amateurs.  Ref. FCC Part 97.1

- It promotes (and requires) disciplined operating procedures.

- It provides a positive image of amateur radio.

- It helps meet the need for public service oriented amateurs who often may complain that “there is never anything important for us to do”.

There is no area in the country that does not have a need for WX Spotters. (Some just have more of a need that others.)  If there is no SKYWARN or WX Spotter Program in your area...why not start one?  Contact your EC or your local NWS office.

Here are a few resources:

- Medford SKYWARN  website:  http://www.qsl.net/mfrskywarn/
Oh yes...their beautiful website is done by Bill, KC7REK.  (Who also does our ARES and other websites) - National SKYWARN page: http://www.skywarn.org/

- NWS / NWS Memorandum of Understanding (MOU): http://www.arrl.org/FandES/field/mou/weather.html