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Skywarn is at Level 0 *** Severe Storm Season Fire Season Approaches
Important Links Below
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Warnings Thunderstorms
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For Severe Storm
Information, Monitor For
Local Severe Storm Information, Monitor NWS
Jacksonville Severe Weather Page **NEW
PROGRAM** The
National Weather Service has instituted a new program that Skywarn Spotters
should consider. The Community Collaborative Rain Hail and Snow initiative,
CoCoRaHS, is designed to provide more accurate reports on precipitaion
amounts to the National Weather Service. Among other things, these reports
would greatly improve the ability to forecast flooding. Participation
requires purchase of a specific rain gauge and registration with CoCoRaHS.
Want to sign up? Click
here to go to the CoCoRaHS web site. The Skywarn Program Skywarn is a program developed by the National Weather Service (NWS) to enable people to report severe weather conditions to the local Weather Service office. Meteorologists from the local NWS office teach both basic and advanced classes in various communities in their coverage area. The Basic Skywarn class teaches the basics of storm spotting. The Advanced class expands on this information and goes into more detail. A third course, Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, is under development. The next Skywarn class, Basic and Advanced in one session, will be held on June 17, 2008 at the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center. To sign up, call Bob Pickering, Emergency Management Technician, at (386) 313-4250 or e-mail BP@flagleremergency.com. [IMPORTANT: Classes may be canceled with short notice should severe weather, a tropical storm, or hurricane pose a threat to the forecast area. All potential class attendees should check on the day of the class to insure that the class has not been canceled.] If you have taken the Skywarn classes and want to review the material, or if you are interested in the Skywarn spotter program, NWS Jacksonville meteorologist Angie Enyedi has created an online review of the course. This is a new feature and can be accessed by clicking this link to the Skywarn Storm Spotter Review. The Flagler County Skywarn program is coordinated by the Communications and Warning Section of Flagler County Emergency Services. The Participants Flagler County Skywarn storm spotters are trained by staff of the National Weather Service in Jacksonville, Fl. The classes are free and anyone can become a Skywarn storm spotter. Classes in Flagler County are generally held at the Flagler County Emergency Operations Center. Pre-registration is required. Because our severe weather season is rapidly approaching, NWS meterologists are frequently required to be on duty at headquarters. As a result, there are no classes scheduled at this time. Classes are offered at other locations, as well. A list of upcoming classes is available on the NWS JAX Weather Skywarn page. Radio Organizations You do not have to be a radio operator to be a Skywarn storm spotter, but there are two groups of local radio communicators who activate nets during severe weather events . They are the Flagler County Assist REACT Team 4800 and the Flagler County Amateur Radio Emergency Service. Most members of each of these organizations are trained Skywarn storm spotters. Members report sightings and observations to the net control operator, who in turn passes the information on to the forecasters at the NWS JAX headquarters. These observations are a significant help to the forecasters since radar images cannot always record low level activity. If you are a radio operator or would like to become one, click on the links to each of these organizations for further information. Radio Frequencies Flagler County uses two radio services for Skywarn Nets. They are the General Mobile Radio Service (GMRS) and either two meter or 70cm amateur radio (ham) services. OPERATING ON ANY OF THESE FREQUENCY BANDS REQUIRES A SPECIFIC FEDERAL COMMUNICATIONS COMMISSION LICENSE. Of course anyone who has a scanner can listen in. Frequencies used are: GMRS 462.675 PL 141.3 REACT Team 4800 Tac 8 repeater or, if needed, either Amateur Radio 145.470 PL 123.0 ARES Primary Skywarn repeater or, if needed, either 145.410 PL 123.0
ARES Secondary Skywarn repeater or Most Skywarn Nets are "directed nets" and all radio traffic should go through the designated Net Control Station (NCS) for the duration of the net. [NOTE: A "repeater" receives a signal on one frequency and simultaneously retransmits it on another, enabling radio operators to communicate over longer distances. Radios must be "repeater capable" to use this feature. In Flagler County, most amateur radio and GMRS repeaters are maintained by the Flagler Emergency Communications Association (FECA).] Links to Other Sites The following sites sites provide valuable information. National Weather Service Other Weather Links (Non-governemental) Skywarn.com |
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Flagler
County Assist REACT Team 4800
Sam
Carcione |
Flagler County community. Our initial Webpage Design By Visitors since August 13, 2007 |
Flagler
County ARES Rob
Creal
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