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Scheduled for Wednesday, June 9

CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network)

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For immediate release:

Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT
RAC Community Services Officer

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada, is pleased to present a special event for Amateurs and non-Amateurs: CANWARN 2021 and Beyond.

Date: Wednesday, June 9
Time: 7 pm EDT
Cost: There is no registration fee for this event.

CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network) is a network of volunteer Amateur Radio operators who observe and report both winter and summer severe weather conditions.

In this special one-on-one session, Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, RAC Community Services Officer, and Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, will discuss the past, present and future of CANWARN – which like everything else has been impacted by the global pandemic.

Although formal training may not happen as often in the future due to resource pressures, online training materials and the continued interest of Amateur Radio clubs to set up CANWARN nets during potentially severe events will ensure the continuity of storm reporting through Amateur Radio for years to come.

Date: Wednesday, June 9

Time: 7 pm EDT

Cost: There is no registration fee for this event.

Who: This will be a behind the scenes look at the CANWARN program and it is open to everyone.

Who: This event is open to anyone who is interested in hearing more about CANWARN. It is not a training course, just a unique information event.

Registration: Please register now by clicking on the following link:

https://adric-ca.zoom.us/meeting/register/u5AlcumtpjIqHdxFSfjGrpxwcr3P_QciZ03e

For more information on the program, please visit the RAC CANWARN webpage.

Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist:

“Geoff Coulson has been a Meteorologist for 37 years. He worked for Environment Canada for 35 of those years as an Operational Forecaster, Trainer, Outreach Officer and Warning Preparedness Meteorologist (WPM).

As a WPM, he provided a variety of clients with weather information from media to other levels of government and the private sector. He managed the CANWARN Storm Spotter Program in Ontario and sat on the Provincial Flood and Forecasting Committee for a number of years.

Since retirement, Geoff has continued to provide weather presentations and has returned to Environment Canada on a part-time basis to help with specific projects. Recently, he began to learn to play the digital piano. His wife is very happy the digital piano has a headphone jack.”

Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, RAC Community Services Officer:

Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, has served as RAC Community Services Officer since January 1, 2020. He received his Amateur Radio certification in 2014 and served as the Emergency Coordinator for the Barrie and South Simcoe ARES team for three years and as the District Emergency Coordinator for the Lakes District in Ontario for two years.

Jason’s focus has been on promoting and educating his local communities about Amateur Radio and the benefits of the service in our community. He previously served as the Director of Community Services for the Barrie Amateur Radio Club and served as its Vice-President, and worked with the public and community groups and other organizations for public and educational events.

Jason’s background is in Emergency Services and Security. He previously volunteered with St John Ambulance and with the Red Cross as an Instructor and a member of Disaster Services, where he “learned about working with others and the critical need for great support and defined training systems”.

Jason resides with his wife and family in Beeton, Ontario and is a member of the Barrie Amateur Radio Club.

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Additional information about CANWARN

CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network) is a network of volunteer Amateur Radio operators who observe and report both winter and summer severe weather conditions.

Severe storms can occur  at any time of the year. Spring and summer thunderstorms can flare up suddenly and race along at speeds in excess of 80 km/h. Large hail, damaging winds, flash floods and tornadoes are all linked to severe thunderstorms. Large-scale fall and winter storms can deliver significant impacts over a broad area. Heavy snow, freezing rain, rain and strong winds can occur with these storms.

CANWARN volunteers are trained to look for clues in the sky as to which spring and summer storms may produce damaging weather. They can also report information like hail size and any damage that has resulted from the passage of a storm. For fall and winter storms, CANWARN volunteers can report things like occurrences of freezing precipitation and snowfall amounts.

These volunteers come from all walks of life: Amateur Radio operators, first responders, government employees and members of the general public with an interest in providing a service to others.

Reports are passed on via Amateur Radio to a network controller who triages the reports and sends the significant ones on to the forecasters of the Ontario Storm Prediction Center in Toronto.

In Ontario, their reports are sent to the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre (OSPC) in Toronto through social media and/or a special email address. These timely reports can help the forecasters better understand the nature of a given storm and help to tailor the messages they send to the public about them.