University of Mississippi eGrove Electronic Theses and Dissertations Graduate School 2011 Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio: a Field Guide for Volunteer Storm Spotters Michael Patrick Corey Follow this and additional works at: https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd Part of the Criminology Commons Recommended Citation Corey, Michael Patrick, "Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio: a Field Guide for Volunteer Storm Spotters" (2011). Electronic Theses and Dissertations. 84. https://egrove.olemiss.edu/etd/84 This Thesis is brought to you for free and open access by the Graduate School at eGrove. It has been accepted for inclusion in Electronic Theses and Dissertations by an authorized administrator of eGrove. For more information, please contact [email protected]. Storm Spotting and Amateur Radio: A Field Guide for Volunteer Storm Spotters A Thesis Presented for the Masters in Criminal Justice Degree The University of Mississippi Michael Corey July 2010 Copyright © 2010 by Michael Corey All rights reserved ABSTRACT Volunteers have played a critical part in relaying weather information since the middle 19 th century. The effort of these volunteers has helped safeguard life and property when severe weather threatens. For almost 100 years Amateur Radio operators have played a critical part in severe weather preparedness and response. Amateur Radio operators not only bring a willingness to serve, but communications skills that provide an added benefit to any storm spotter program. The National Weather Service recognized this when developing the SKYWARN program during the 1960’s. Amateur Radio and the National Weather Service have developed over the last 40 years a solid relationship that has been beneficial to communities across the country that face the threat of severe weather. This project, the first of its kind, seeks to gather information together that will help better prepare Amateur Radio operators that serve as volunteer storm spotters. i ACKNOWLEDGMENTS I would like to thank the American Radio Relay League and the faculty of the University of Mississippi Legal Studies Department for their support and encouragement. ii Dedication This work is dedicated to Fred Selley, K9MXG (SK) my grandfather and mentor iii PREFACE Portions of this work were written by contributing authors. Their contributions are critical to the overall function of this document. The portions authored by contributing writers are indicated. This work was also published as a book by the American Radio Relay League in 2010. The content has been repurposed for this thesis by the publisher. Since its release in April 2010 it has been regarded as one of the best sources of information available to the Amateur Radio community about severe weather readiness. Currently it is available worldwide through the publisher. The intended audience is the Amateur Radio community involved in storm spotting through the National Weather Service’s SKYWARN program. Because of this there is terminology used in this work that is understood by the Amateur Radio licensees, but not by the general public. Where possible clarification will be made. iv TABLE OF CONTENTS CHAPTER PAGE I. AMATEUR RADIO, THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE, AND HOMELAND SECURITY ..............................................................................................................1 II. INTRODUCTION ...........................................................................................................3 III. SAFETY ......................................................................................................................23 IV. EQUIPMENT ..............................................................................................................36 V. TRAINING .................................................................................................................133 VI. WEATHER ................................................................................................................153 VII. HURRICANES ........................................................................................................220 VIII. SPOTTER ACTIVATION ......................................................................................266 IX. CONCLUSIONS………………………………………………………………… 335 BIBLIOGRAPHY ............................................................................................................338 VITA ................................................................................................................................340 v LIST OF FIGURES FIGURE PAGE 1. Storm spotters observing weather in Illinois ...................................................................4 2. Weather Report ................................................................................................................7 3. Memphis,TN Weather Map .............................................................................................8 4. Severe Storm Reporting Handbook ...............................................................................11 5. It Looks Like a Tornado ................................................................................................11 6. Amateur Radio in an EOC .............................................................................................37 7. Mobile Amateur Radio Station………………………………………………………..38 8. Amateur Radio station at the National Weather Service……………………………...39 9. NWR Coverage Map………………………………………………………………….41 10. APRS Screen…………………………………………………………………………45 11. GPS Navigation…………………………………………………………………..….50 12. Google Earth…………………………………………………………………………55 13. Layers……………………..…………………………………………………………56 14. View…………………………………………………………………………………57 15. Get KMZ…………………………………………………………………………….58 16. File Download……………………………………………………………………….59 vi 17. Places………………………………………………………………………………..59 18. Edit Network Link…………………………………………………………………..61 19. Watch and Warning Box……………………………………………………………61 20. Places…………………………………..……………………………………….……62 21. LaCrosse……………………………..………………………………………………63 22. National and Regional Mosaics………..…………………………………………….64 23. Places………………………………….……………….…………………………….64 24. Sample Radar Map…………………………….…….………………………………65 25. Places…………………………………………..…………………………………….67 26. Radar and APRS Data……………………….………………….……………………68 27. Single Image Loop………………………….………………….…………………….69 28. Places……………………………….………………………………………………..70 29. Wind Meter Cell Phone Application………….………………………….…………..71 30. NWS Data via Text Message……………………….…………………….………….72 31. Video Still of Tornado at Night………………………….………………….……….73 32. Zoomed in on Approaching Wall Cloud…………………………………….………81 33. Picture Taken with Cell Phone Camera……………………………………….……..84 34. Map Showing NWS Weather Forecast Offices……………………………….……..98 35. Main Map…………………………………………………………………………….99 vii 36. Storm Prediction Center…………………………………………………………….101 37. Volumetric Display…………………………………………………………………123 38. Thunderstorm……………………………………………………………………….155 39. Towering Cumulus Stage…………………………………………….……………..156 40. Mature Stage………………………………………………………………………..162 41. Lightning……………………………………………………………………………168 42. Damage from Straight Line Winds…………………………………………………175 43. Outflow from Thunderstorm………………………………………………………..175 44. Derecho……………………………………………………………………………..176 45. Tornado……………………………………………………………………………..178 46. Tornado Alley………………………………………………………………………182 47. Waterspout………………………………………………………………………….184 48. TIROS I Image……………………………………………………………………...193 49. Water Vapor Image…………………………………………………………………195 50. Hawaiian Tsunami………………………………………………………………….215 51. Hurricane Katrina Track……………………………………………………………221 52. Tracking Map………………………………………………………………………238 53. Hurricane Damage………………………………………………………………….246 54. Emergency Operations Center……………………………………………………..250 viii 55. Communications Desk…………………….………………………………………..251 56. Rapid Comms Trailer……………………………………………….………………254 57. 7 Day Forecast…………………………………………………….………………..268 58. Forecast Window…………………………………………………………………...277 59. Hazardous Weather Outlook………………………………………………………..277 60. Right Rear Flank……………………………………………………………………289 ix CHAPTER I AMATEUR RADIO, SEVERE WEATHER, AND HOMELAND SECURITY Since the early part of the 20 th century Amateur Radio licensees have been doing their part to advance the radio art, provide emergency communications, and promote international goodwill. (1) The first documented case of Amateur Radio operators assisting during a communications emergency was in 1913 when the Midwest was struck by severe flooding. Amateur Radio operators from Ohio and Michigan relayed vital information via radio when normal lines of communication were down. For over a hundred years Amateur Radio operators have continued to answer the call when normal means of communication are disrupted or overloaded. The United States experiences a greater amount and variety of severe weather than any other nation on Earth. (2) Severe weather affects not only our ability to communicate but nearly every aspect of infrastructure and day to day lives. It poses a never ending immediate and clear threat to life and property. It is because of this that severe weather preparedness is critical in our nation’s homeland security plan. (Nationwide Plan Review). A critical part to severe weather preparedness is to have accurate, valid, and reliable weather information relayed to National Weather Service forecasters. This information provides ground truth information that allows the forecasters to fulfill the NWS mission to help safeguard life and property. This information is provided by trained volunteer storm spotters as well as