FCARC and SKYWARN

Current BULLETIN from SKYWARN AEC

The SKYWARN EC (Emergency Co-ordinator) for RDU Skywarn handling operations is KD4ISC Dick Orander (dorander@aol.com).

The SKYWARN AEC (Assistant Emergency Co-ordinator) for RDU Skywarn handling operations is David Faircloth KD4WSC(swares@nando.net). He lives in Franklin County, and can routinely be found on the air on 145.11-, 444.250+, 147.015+, or 53.37-. He often acts as Skywarn Net Control on 146.88- during times of area Skywarn activity.

SKYWARN

SKYWARN Spotters are members of the local community who volunteer their time to provide critical ground truth data to their regional National Weather Service Office. Many SKYWARN Spotters are also amateur radio operators who make use of portable and mobile radios to report severe weather conditions through their local SKYWARN Net to the National Weather Service.

Anyone with an interest in the SKYWARN program is invited to attend training and participate as a severe weather spotter. Training programs are generally conducted in late winter and early spring.

Public service professionals are important assets to the SKYWARN program because they are often in the field during severe weather events. Reports of severe weather can be relayed through local Communication Centers. In some cases, ham radio operators may even be located at these Communication Centers to facilitate the transfer of information to and from the National Weather Service. In addition, most National Weather Service Offices have toll free telephone numbers to receive severe weather reports from Spotters and the public.

Local SKYWARN Spotter Training programs are generally offered every other year in Guilford County. This informative, three hour program is conducted by Meteorologists from the National Weather Service in Raleigh, and is hosted by Triad SKYWARN. This year, SKYWARN Spotter Training was held on Monday night, February 5, at the Guilford County Emergency Services Building, located at 1002 Meadowood Street. The program was held in the Training Room from 7:00 PM until 10:00 PM.

Triad SKYWARN is responsible for providing severe weather information to and from five counties in the Piedmont Triad as part of the Raleigh SKYWARN program, in cooperation with the National Weather Service in Raleigh. The affected counties include Guilford, Randolph, Davidson, Forsyth, and Alamance. Triad SKYWARN will also assist other SKYWARN programs in adjacent counties, as well as programs in Blacksburg, Virginia and Greer, South Carolina. When severe weather threatens within the coverage area, Triad SKYWARN will be active on the 145.250 Mhz repeater so that any reports of severe weather may be relayed to and from the National Weather Service.

There is no cost for this program and registration is not necessary. Handout materials will be provided as well. Please mark the date on your calendar and plan on attending the SKYWARN Severe Weather Spotter Training Program! For more information on Spotter Training or the Triad SKYWARN program, please contact Steve Marks at (910) 507-0994 or by e-mail at smarks@nr.infi.net.

This notice was forwarded to the Editor via e-mail by KE4WZY and was submitted by Steve Marks

SKYWARN TRAINING DATES FOR 1996...

April 02 Raleigh 7:00pm Spotter training (RARS)
April 16 Tarboro 7:00pm Spotter training