Strong to severe thunderstorms possible this afternoon and evening. http://t.co/5wd51Ex0bU
— NWS Northern Indiana (@NWSIWX) August 19, 2014
Above is an example of the the kind of information you can get from the Twitter feed of the northern Indiana National Weather Service Office.
Almost all of Indiana has a slight risk of severe storms between 9 a.m. EDT today and 8 a.m. EDT tomorrow, according to the “Day 1 Convective Outlook” that the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued at 8:16 a.m. EDT.
The primary threats are damaging straight-line thunderstorm winds of 58 mph or greater and large hail of one inch or more in diameter, both of which have a 15 percent probability within 25 miles of a point anywhere in the slight risk area. Read more about the significance of outlook probabilities. The tornado risk today is negligible, with less than a 2 percent probability.
The severe storms are most likely late this afternoon into early this evening.
The slight risk area includes all of Indiana except Lake County, most of Porter County and northern LaPorte County of northwestern Indiana. The slight risk area includes the entirety of IMO SKYWARN quadrant two.
Everyone who is in the slight risk area — especially those involved in outdoor activities this afternoon and evening — should ensure they have a way to know if the NWS issues a storm watch or warning.
SKYWARN storm spotters should make sure they and their gear are ready for activation, which is likely by this afternoon, according to the “Hazardous Weather Outlook” that the northern Indiana NWS office issued at 4:47 a.m. EDT.
The SPC will issue an updated convective outlook by 12:30 p.m. EDT, which will be our next chance to know if the storm risk for today has changed.
As time permits, I will “live blog” the weather situation as it develops, but this is a work day for me and I have client expectations to meet, so do not rely on this blog as a primary information source.
The northern Indiana NWS office will use Twitter ( @NWSIWX ) and Facebook to keep residents updated.
To become immediately aware of watches and warnings, I recommend a weather alert radio or monitoring a local radio or TV station.
Approximately the southern two thirds of Indiana — including southern Allen County, Indiana — have a slight risk of severe weather between 8 a.m. EDT Tuesday, Aug. 19 and 8 a.m. EDT Wednesday, according to the “Day 2 Convective Outlook” that the National Weather Service Storm Prediction Center issued at 1:30 p.m. EDT today.
Forecasters expect isolated strong to severe storms Tuesday afternoon and evening. The strongest storms might include a few damaging wind gusts and large hail.
In IMO SKYWARN quadrant two, the slight risk area includes the southern third of Allen County (Ind.), all of Huntington, Wells, Adams, Blackford and Jay Counties, and southwestern Van Wert County.
We’ll get a more detailed look at the risk, including the probabilities of tornadoes, damaging straight-line winds and large hail, when the SPC issues its first “Day 1 Convective Outlook” for tomorrow, at about 2 a.m. EDT.
…PATCHY DENSE FOG EARLY THIS MORNING… PATCHY DENSE FOG WITH VISIBILITIES REDUCED TO ONE QUARTER MILE OR LESS CAN BE EXPECTED EARLY THIS MORNING ACROSS NORTHERN INDIANA INTO NORTHWEST OHIO. IF YOU ARE TRAVELING THIS MORNING…SLOW DOWN AND ALLOW PLENTY OF TIME TO REACH YOUR DESTINATION. CONDITIONS WILL IMPROVE BY 9 AM EDT.
View the full statement on the NWS website.
I just wrote a letter to my congressman, Rep. Marlin Stutzman (R-Ind.-3rd) to request his support of a bill in Congress that would make it easier for amateur radio operators like me to provide service to the general public, including through the National Weather Service SKYWARN program.
HR 4969 – the “Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014” would direct the FCC to extend the “reasonable accommodation” provisions for amateur radio antennas to include all types of land-use regulation, including deed restrictions and restrictive covenants.
If enacted, HR 4969 would direct the FCC to extend the reasonable accommodation protections to those amateurs who live in deed-restricted communities. Known as “CC&Rs” (covenants, conditions and restrictions), these are the prohibitions and limitations placed on properties by builders or home-owner associations (HOAs) which prevent licensed amateur radio operators from erecting even modest antennas.
Below is the letter about HR 4969 that I sent today to Rep. Stutzman via the American Radio Relay League.
August 12, 2014
Rep. Marlin Stutzman
1728 Longworth HOB
Washington, DC 20515
Dear Representative Stutzman:
As a constituent and a federally-licensed Amateur Radio operator in the Third District, I am writing asking that you support HR 4969 – The Amateur Radio Parity Act of 2014 – and request that you become a co-sponsor of this legislation.
I have frequently used my Amateur Radio station to provide service to fellow citizens of the Third District, the State of Indiana and other parts of our nation. For example, I am very active in the SKYWARN program of the U.S. National Weather Service (NWS) and use my station to relay to the NWS crucial reports of severe weather that help the NWS decide when and where to issue warnings. I have also used my station to provide communications support after disasters such as tornadoes and hurricanes.
My wife and I have just entered the market for a new home, because we hope to relocate closer to the IPFW campus, where she teaches. We quickly discovered that many neighborhoods close to the campus have restrictive covenants that would prohibit me from erecting even a limited antenna system that would allow me to continue my public service activities. Of neighborhoods that don’t have such deed restrictions, many are older and lack the quality of home we desire.
Thus, restrictive covenants might force me to abandon my Amateur Radio activity and the public service I have been providing.
For more than 30 years, the FCC and Congress have repeatedly acknowledged the “strong Federal interest” in effective Amateur Radio communications. The FCC found that municipalities often unreasonably restricted Amateur Radio antennas in residential areas. In its declaratory ruling now codified at 47 C.F.R. §97.15(b) – the FCC determined that:
“Except as otherwise provided herein, a station antenna structure may be erected at heights and dimensions sufficient to accommodate amateur service communications. (State and local regulation of a station antenna structure must not preclude amateur service communications. Rather, it must reasonably accommodate such communications and must constitute the minimum practicable regulation to accomplish the state or local authority’s legitimate purpose.”
HR 4969 will extend limited reasonable accommodation provisions to include all types of land use regulations, including preclusive homeowner’s association regulations and restrictive covenants. The FCC has jurisdiction to provide these protections when there is a conflict with federal policy. This was established when, at Congress’ instructions, it enacted regulations that preempted municipal and private land use regulation over satellite dish antennas and television broadcast receive antennas in residences.
HR 4969 will provide a basis for radio Amateurs to negotiate reasonable accommodation for at least minimal outdoor Amateur Radio antennas with their homeowners’ associations. This legislation is critically important to me and to the hundreds of other federally licensed Amateur Radio operators residing in the Third District. Please sign-on as a co-sponsor of HR 4969.
Sincerely,
Jay M. Farlow
Fort Wayne, Ind.
Operator, Amateur Radio Station W9LW
There is an old adage in the real estate business that the three most important factors in property value are location, location and location. As SKYWARN storm spotters, the way we report the locations of the severe weather we witness is equally important.
The National Weather Service (NWS) relays many of our reports in a text product it calls a “local storm report.” The way the NWS describes locations in LSRs is informative to spotters. Here’s an example LSR:
Notice how the LSR gives the location first by identifying the distance and compass direction from the center of the nearest town or village, then by county, then by state. The LSR might then mention a road intersection in the “remarks” section (but it does not always do so).
Whenever we make a spotter report to the NWS, if we don’t indicate our distance and direction from the center of the nearest town or village, some busy NWS staff member must figure that out. We can really help the NWS, therefore, by knowing where we are in relation to the nearest town or village and including that information in our reports.
I learn best by example. In case you’re like that, below are some actual spotter reports from an NWS transcript of a recent severe weather event, followed by an example of how the location information could have been more helpful:
Original report: Nearly quarter-size hail, SR 13 and South County Line Road.
More helpful: Kosciusko County, 1 mile north of Syracuse, intersection of state road 13 and the Kosciusko-Elkhart county line.
Original report: U.S. 33 and State Road 205, about 2 minutes Duration, Dime-size hail.
More helpful: Whitley County, in Churubusco, intersection of US 33 and SR 205.
Original report: State Road 427 at Allen-DeKalb county line. About 3 min of dime-size hail. Estimated 50-60 MPH winds. Heavy rain.
More helpful: DeKalb County, 7 miles south of Auburn, intersection of DeKalb County Road 427 and the Allen-DeKalb County line. (Side note: As spotters, we should try to remain aware of the correct and current names of the roads we are using. The road that runs between Fort Wayne and Auburn was once called “State Road 427” but ceased to be a state road years ago. In DeKalb County, it is now called “County Road 427” and in Allen County, it is correctly known as “Tonkel Road.” Because this spotter was at the county line, he could also have given his location as, “Allen County Indiana, 4.5 miles northwest of Leo-Cedarville, intersection of Tonkel Road and the Allen-DeKalb county line” (making the road and town name match the county name))
Original report: Edgerton Road and County Line Road, 1.5 minutes of dime-size hail and measured 57 mph winds.
More helpful: Allen County Indiana, 4 miles southeast of Woodburn, intersection of Edgerton Road and the Indiana-Ohio line. (Note: when at a county line, it is helpful to give the names of both counties to reduce ambiguity. If the county line is also a state line, identifying the state line is probably more helpful).
Original report: Pea-Size hail between Hamilton and Yoder roads on Smith Road. 1 min duration.
More helpful: Allen County Indiana, 1.5 miles northwest of Yoder, Smith Road between Hamilton Road and Yoder Road. (Alternatively, “2.5 miles south of Fort Wayne International Airport” might have been just as helpful at “1.5 miles northwest of Yoder.”)
As a spotter myself, I know it can be challenging to figure out how far I am “as the crow flies” from the nearest town, especially in the excitement of seeing a funnel cloud. But if you think it’s challenging from where you are, imagine what it must be like for a very busy NWS meteorologist, who is handling reports from any of 37 counties. I therefore offer these recommendations:
In case we forget to include our distance and direction from the center of the nearest town, I’ve asked IMO SKYWARN quadrant two net control station (NCS) operators to request that information, when time permits. If the frequency is flooded with reports, there might not always be time for such inquiries, but NCS operators should ask whenever time permits and a spotter forgets to provide the information.
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