All posts by Jay Farlow

I'm Jay Farlow. W9LW is my amateur (ham) radio call sign. I've been a ham since 1973. I've been a volunteer storm spotter for the National Weather Service SKYWARN program since the 1970s. I've also been a volunteer EMT and firefighter and member of a disaster medical assistance team. I advise the leadership team of Associated Churches Active in Disaster, a ministry of Associate Churches of Fort Wayne and Allen County. Learn more about w9lw at www.qrz.com/db/w9lw.

IDHS encourages Hoosiers to check on neighbors

Photo of icicles with words "dangerous cold" superimposedThe Indiana Department of Homeland Security (IDHS) is encouraging Hoosiers to check on their neighbors, especially those who may be elderly or have special or functional needs.

IDHS issued a news release on the topic this afternoon.

“We all need help every now and then,” said John Erickson, IDHS director of public information in the news release. “Take some time to check on your neighbors.”

IDHS suggests calling first to confirm the neighbor is comfortable with receiving a visit. The department’s also offered other suggestions, including:

Meanwhile, a Wind Chill Warning continues this afternoon, tonight and tomorrow morning for much of northern Indiana. According to the National Weather Service, meteorologists expect prolonged, dangerous wind chill temperatures of -15 to -30 Fahrenheit through midday tomorrow. The combination of wind and cold could cause frostbite within minutes on any exposed skin.

Bands of lake-effect snow could reduce visibilities today

Radar image showing IWX CWABands of lake-effect snow will cause reduced visibilities in a large portion of north-central and northeastern Indiana today, according to a Special Weather Statement the northern Indiana office of the National Weather Service issued at 9:55 a.m.

Visibilities could fall to approximately one half mile in the heaviest snow bands.

The Special Weather Statement (which appears in its entirety below) covers the following Indiana counties: Adams, Allen, Fulton, Huntington, Kosciusko, Marshall, Miami, Noble, Wabash, Wells and Whitley.

SPECIAL WEATHER STATEMENT
NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE NORTHERN INDIANA
955 AM EST WED JAN 7 2015

INZ008-014>018-023>027-071800-
NOBLE-MARSHALL-FULTON IN-KOSCIUSKO-WHITLEY-ALLEN IN-MIAMI-WABASH-
HUNTINGTON-WELLS-ADAMS-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...KENDALLVILLE...LIGONIER...ALBION...
PLYMOUTH...BREMEN...CULVER...ROCHESTER...AKRON...WARSAW...
WINONA LAKE...SYRACUSE...MENTONE...COLUMBIA CITY...TRI-LAKES...
SOUTH WHITLEY...FORT WAYNE...NEW HAVEN...PERU...GRISSOM AFB...
MEXICO...WABASH...NORTH MANCHESTER...HUNTINGTON...ROANOKE...
BLUFFTON...OSSIAN...DECATUR...BERNE
955 AM EST WED JAN 7 2015

...LAKE EFFECT SNOW TODAY...

BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING PORTIONS OF
NORTHERN INDIANA. WHILE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE GENERALLY
LIGHT...VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO AROUND ONE HALF MILE IN
THE HEAVIER BANDS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND BE
PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN VISIBILITIES.

Special Weather Statement issued January 07 at 9:55AM EST by NWS

…LAKE EFFECT SNOW TODAY… BANDS OF LAKE EFFECT SNOW ARE CURRENTLY IMPACTING PORTIONS OF NORTHERN INDIANA. WHILE TOTAL SNOW ACCUMULATIONS WILL BE GENERALLY LIGHT…VISIBILITIES WILL BE REDUCED TO AROUND ONE HALF MILE IN THE HEAVIER BANDS. MOTORISTS ARE URGED TO USE CAUTION AND BE PREPARED FOR RAPID CHANGES IN VISIBILITIES.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 3:13PM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED LATE TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.

Wind Chill Warning issued January 06 at 12:48PM EST until January 08 at 12:00PM EST by NWS

…WIND CHILL WARNING REMAINS IN EFFECT FROM 10 PM EST /9 PM CST/ THIS EVENING TO NOON EST /11 AM CST/ THURSDAY… HAZARDOUS WEATHER… * WIND CHILL…PROLONGED DANGEROUS WIND CHILL TEMPERATURES OF 15 BELOW TO 30 BELOW ZERO ARE EXPECTED TONIGHT THROUGH MIDDAY THURSDAY.
View the full statement on the NWS website.