Weather

Weather and weather radio related items.

Upcoming CanWarn Training and “Beyond CanWarn” Q&A Event

Posted on by VA3DBJ

For immediate release:

CANWARN

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada, is pleased to present its second CANWARN Weather Spotter Workshop for Amateurs and non-Amateurs this season. In addition, a special Q&A Live Event will also be held to close off this year’s training session.

Canadian Weather Amateur Radio Network (CANWARN), Radio Amateurs of Canada’s national severe weather preparedness program, is an important initiative. It equips volunteers with free storm spotter training, empowering them to protect Canadians from severe weather. It also educates citizens on recognizing and reporting severe weather, a vital contribution to keeping our communities safe.

Please visit the CanWarn webpage for more information: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn/ 

Weather Spotter Workshop: Thursday, June 20

The Weather Spotter Workshops events will be hosted by RAC Community Services Officer Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, and will once again feature special guest Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Geoff Coulson who has been a Meteorologist for 37 years, including with Environment Canada for 35 years as an Operational Forecaster, Trainer, Outreach Officer and Warning Preparedness Meteorologist (WPM).

The event will be held online via Zoom. There is no need to pre-register for the event and you can log in via Zoom using the links provided. 

Date: Thursday, June 20

Time: 7 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Cost: There is no fee for this event.

Fireside Chat | Q&A Live Event: Tuesday, June 25

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 has been affected by global climate change and its impact on Canadians.

Date: Tuesday, June 25

Time: 7 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Cost: There is no fee for this event.

Please visit the CanWarn webpage for more information: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn/

News post: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn-training-and-beyond-canwarn-special-event/

Weather Spotter Workshops and Q&A Event: May and June

Posted on by VA3DBJ

RAC Event: Weather Spotter Workshop “Beyond CanWarn” and Q&A Event

Radio Amateurs of Canada (RAC), the national association for Amateur Radio in Canada, is pleased to present two upcoming “Beyond CanWarn” Weather Spotter Workshops for Amateurs and non-Amateurs. In addition, a special “Beyond CanWarn” Q&A Live Event will also be held to close off this year’s training session.

Please visit the CanWarn webpage to register now: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn/

Weather Spotter Workshops: May 18 and June 14

The Weather Spotter Workshops events will be hosted by RAC Community Services Officer Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, and will once again feature special guest Warning Preparedness Meteorologist Geoff Coulson as described below.

Both events will be held online via Zoom and are identical so you can just pick the one that works best for you. Please see the Registration section below for more information. They are available to everyone: Amateurs and non-Amateurs.

In these special events, Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, will discuss topics including the basics of thunderstorm formation, the types of damage severe thunderstorms can produce and what to look for in the sky. Winter severe weather will be touched on as well.

Safety tips for you and your family and how to report weather to Environment and Climate Change Canada will be covered in these training sessions.

The training also provides ways that storm reports can be provided to Environment and Climate Change Canada and several safety tips to keep storm spotters safe.

Dates: Thursday, May 18 and Wednesday, June 14

Time: 7 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Cost: There is no fee for this event.

Please visit the CanWarn webpage to register now: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn/

Q&A Live Event: June 28

In this special online live, zoom event, Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, and Jason Tremblay, RAC Community Services Officer, will discuss a number of topics including:

  • the current climate crisis
  • El Niño effects for this year
  • the adaptation of CanWarn and Beyond CanWarn training programs

Following the presentation there will be a Question and Answer session with the participants.

Date: Wednesday, June 28

Time: 7 pm Eastern Time (US and Canada)

Cost: There is no fee for this event.

Please visit the CanWarn webpage to register now: https://www.rac.ca/canwarn/

Weather Spotter Workshop “Beyond CanWarn”

Posted on by VA3DBJ

*UPDATED*

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: Weather Spotter Workshop “Beyond CanWarn”.

Special Guest: Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist

Hosted By: Jason Tremblay, VE3JXT, RAC Community Services Officer

In this special online Zoom event, Geoff Coulson, Warning Preparedness Meteorologist, will discuss topics including the basics of thunderstorm formation, the types of damage severe thunderstorms can produce and what to look for in the sky. Winter severe weather will be touched on as well.

The training also provides ways that storm reports can be provided to Environment and Climate Change Canada and several safety tips to keep storm spotters safe.

Date: Wednesday, May 18, 2022

Time: 7 pm EDT

Cost: There is no registration fee for this event.

Where: Zoom online Webinar

Registration: This is a Zoom online event and there is no need to register in advance. Simply join the meeting using the Zoom link provided on the RAC website.


British Columbia State of Emergency Declaration November 2021

Posted on by VA3DBJ

Story by ALAN GRIFFIN

British Columbia declares state of emergency:

https://news.gov.bc.ca/releases/2021PSSG0073-002190

BC Government news release

Radio Amateurs of Canada has had several inquiries in regard to the emergency situation in British Columbia.

At present, we are not aware of any Amateur activities related to the flooding/landslides in BC.

The situation is expected to be stable despite the possibilities of additional rain over the next few days. Localized flooding and landslides may still occur especially due to the temporary nature of repairs this week.

It has been observed that national and international reporting may not accurately reflect the current situation especially in areas outside of the BC lower mainland.

Railroad, pipeline and limited road access is now in place in most areas.

BC Government News Release: November 17, 2021:

The British Columbia government is declaring a provincial state of emergency to mitigate impacts on transportation networks and movement of essential goods and supplies, and to support the provincewide response and recovery from the widespread damage caused by severe flooding and landslides in British Columbia.

“Provincial, federal and local governments are working with emergency personnel to make sure people and communities get the help they need as they work through yet another natural disaster. This provincial declaration of emergency will ensure the transport of goods, and essential and emergency services,” said Premier John Horgan. “Thank you to everyone for doing what you can to stay safe and to help one another as we work through this catastrophic time.”

Mike Farnworth, Minister of Public Safety and Solicitor General, made the declaration on Nov. 17, 2021, based on the recommendation from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure and Emergency Management BC. The declaration will take effect immediately.

“This provincewide declaration will help us with the challenges ahead as we recover from the utter devastation that’s been caused by this natural disaster,” said Farnworth. “Getting our rail and roadways back up and in operation is a top priority, and the declaration will enable us to put the resources in place to make that happen.”

The state of emergency is initially in effect for 14 days and may be extended or rescinded as necessary. The state of emergency applies to the whole province and ensures federal, provincial and local resources can be delivered in a co-ordinated response to protect the public, which remains the provincial government’s top priority.

“Our focus is on clearing, repairing and reopening roads to connect the Interior and the North to the Lower Mainland and Vancouver Island, to get our supply chains moving,” said Rob Fleming, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure. “We are working closely with multiple partners to make this happen. It is a big job, but collectively we are up to the challenge and will get things opened up again just as soon as we possibly can.”

There are approximately 17,775 people evacuated due to impacts from the flooding, with 5,918 properties on Evacuation Order, and 3,632 properties on Evacuation Alert.

The federal government has responded to and accepted British Columbia’s requests for assistance. In the coming days, additional federal personnel and resources will be arriving in B.C. to assist.

The state of emergency gives agencies, such as the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, Emergency Management BC, the RCMP and others the ability to use extraordinary measures to protect people and communities.”

Quick Facts:

  • Declarations of provincial states of emergency may be issued by the minister responsible under the Emergency Program Act.
  • The provincial government can extend the period of a declaration made by the minister responsible.

Learn More:

For information on evacuation orders and alerts, visit Emergency Info BC:

https://www.emergencyinfobc.gov.bc.ca/

For BC’s response to floods and mudslides visit:

https://www2.gov.bc.ca/gov/content/natural-disaster/support/home

For the latest information on roads and travel, visit: www.drivebc.ca

SKYWARN Online Training (Fall Session)

Posted on by VA3DBJ

Booking now for fall sessions

SKYWARN™ is a national effort to save lives during severe weather emergencies with an expanding network of trained weather spotters. The services performed by SKYWARN™ spotters have saved many lives.

The National Weather Service has a number of devices for detecting severe thunderstorms. Included in these are Doppler radar, satellite, and lightning detection networks.  However, the most important tool for observing thunderstorms is the trained eye of the storm spotter.

By providing observations, SKYWARN™ spotters assist National Weather Service members in their warning decisions and enable the National Weather Service to fulfill its mission of protecting life and property.

Storm spotters are, and always will be, an indispensable part of the severe local warning program.

The National Weather Service office in Buffalo participates in the annual  ARRL – SKYWARN™ special event.  For details on the national event, QSL instructions and the rest of the statistics, check out the Special event homepage.

NWS Buffalo SKYWARN™Training Sessions

SKYWARN™ is a nationwide program of spotters that report severe weather to the National Weather Service. Anyone can become a SKYWARN™ spotter for the National Weather Service, all you have to do is attend one of our Spotter Training Sessions. There is no charge for the training.

SKYWARN™ training sessions are held throughout our area of responsibility based on demand. SKYWARN training sessions for Severe Convective Weather (Thunderstorms, Tornadoes, Flash Floods, etc.) are conducted from March through May. SKYWARN training sessions for Winter Weather are conducted from September through November. The basic training session provides a brief overview to the National Weather Service (the organization and our responsibilities), the equipment we use (including capabilities and limitations), and basic severe weather meteorology (including how thunderstorms, severe thunderstorms and tornadoes form). Training sessions last about two hours.

SKYWARN training sessions for Winter Weather are conducted from September through November. 

Attendees are instructed what types of severe weather the National Weather Service is interested in hearing about and are given an 800 telephone number for 24 hour access make reports directly to the NWS forecasters.

For more information, please contact:
Mike Fries — [email protected] — WFO Buffalo, Warning Coordination Meteorologist
Jon Hitchcock — [email protected] — WFO Buffalo, SKYWARN Program Coordinator

Fall 2021 Training Schedule

Note: Fall training covers winter storms, lake effect snow, measuring snow, reporting to the NWS, and winter weather safety. All of the scheduled training sessions will cover the same material

DATETIMECOUNTYLOCATIONORGANIZATION
Monday 10/25/2111 AMOnlineOnlineRegistration Required!NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration
Tuesday 11/2/217 PMOnlineOnline Registration Required!NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration
Tuesday 11/16/217 PMOnlineOnlineRegistration Required!NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration
Wednesday 12/1/217 PMOnlineOnlineRegistration Required!NWS Buffalo Click Here for Registration

For more information from NOAA NWS Buffalo, click here.

Hurricane Watch Net Activates for “Catastrophic” Hurricane Ida

Posted on by VA3DBJ

August 29, 2021 | For immediate release |


The following news item is courtesy of the American Radio Relay League:

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) is on Alert Level 5, “Catastrophic Response Mode,” as Hurricane Ida heads toward landfall on the coast of Louisiana today — the 16th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina — after gaining considerable strength in the Gulf of Mexico.

The net, on 14.325 and 7.268 MHz, works in concert with WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami to share real-time surface-weather observations with the Center’s forecasters.

In its 1500 UTC report, the NHC said the “eye of extremely dangerous Category 4 Hurricane Ida nearing the southeastern coast of Louisiana… catastrophic storm surge and hurricane-force winds moving onshore.”

Officials are saying Ida could be the most powerful hurricane to hit Louisiana in more than a century.

As of 1500 UTC, Hurricane Ida was some 85 miles south of New Orleans with maximum sustained winds of 150 MPH, moving northwest at 13 MPH. WX4NHC plans to be active until midnight Eastern Time for Hurricane Ida, welcoming all reports from stations in the affected area.

“These surface reports are very important to the NHC, as they are real-time reports of weather data, flooding, or damage that help the NHC Hurricane Specialists fill in gaps in data and help understand what is happening at the ground level,” Julio Ripoll, WD4R, at the Hurricane Center explained. WX4NHC will be monitoring the HWN, the VoIP Hurricane Net, Winlink, APRS, and other modes.

The VoIP Hurricane Net uses EchoLink WX-TALK Conference, node 7203. (IRLP node 9219). The WX4NHC Hurricane Report Form is online.

“This remains a serious, life-threatening situation,” the National Weather Service tweeted.

Source: ARRL – Hurricane Watch Net Activates for “Catastrophic” Hurricane Ida (arrl.org)

CANWARN 2021 and Beyond:

Posted on by VA3DBJ

Scheduled for Wednesday, June 9

CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network)

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.

CANWARN logo

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.

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.

RAC Presents CANWARN Spring Training Session: May 26

Posted on by VA3DBJ

CANWARN (CANadian Weather Amateur Radio Network) – SESSION COMPLETED

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 announce that we have partnered with the Ontario Storm Prediction Centre Team (OSPC) to provide CANWARN Training this spring.

This will be a one-time session for this season, offered through the Zoom online meeting platform.

Date: Wednesday, May 26

Time: 7 pm EDT

New RAC bulletin logo November 2019

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.

Topics covered in the training session will include the basics of thunderstorm formation, the types of damage severe thunderstorms can produce and what to look for in the sky. Winter severe weather will be touched on as well.

The training also provides ways that storm reports can be provided to the OSPC and a number of safety tips to keep storm spotters safe.

Registration: 

To register for the training session please visit the RAC CANWARN webpage at:

https://www.rac.ca/emergency-services/canwarn/

Additional information about CANWARN

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 net controller at the Environment Canada Weather Centre in Toronto. This information is then passed directly to the forecasters for incorporation into the forecast.

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.

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

VA3DBJ.ca Weather Station Updated

Posted on by VA3DBJ

After 8 years of operation, the old Oregon Scientific weather station has finally been retired, as it was having issues staying all connected to the console.

So I have updated to the Ecowitt HP 3500B Weather Station.

It also has a lightning detector, that should monitor lightning strikes up to about 40 km.

Advanced notice to disconnect my radios. Lets see how that goes. 🙂

UPDATE: Well, the new system detected the lightning this morning and followed it out to the east towards Trenton.

2020 Spring Weather Forecast

Posted on by VA3DBJ

By Anthony Farnell

Winter’s bark was worse than its bite for most of the country, and now, with days getting longer and normal temperatures quickly rising, we can look ahead to all the joys that spring brings in Canada.

A battle will set up through April with leftover Arctic air making frequent appearances, especially in the Prairies. An active storm track from the Great Lakes to Atlantic Canada will keep it wet especially in April.

We have not seen the last of the snow just about everywhere east of Victoria and Vancouver but when it does fall, don’t expect it to stick around for long.

The leftover April chill will be replaced by a warmer-than-normal pattern for most of the country later in May and early June.

A cooler-than-normal April is expected across most of Ontario and Quebec, which is a big deviation from the past few months.

The chill won’t last with a return to above seasonal air in May. The turn to mild air will be enough to offset the cool start to spring, which is why above-normal temperatures are forecast for southern Ontario and Quebec.

Much like last spring, an active storm track will lead to above-normal rainfall in areas that really don’t need it.

The Great Lakes are already running near record-high water levels, and a wet spring would mean another round of serious flooding for lakeshore communities.

This could also impact cities further downstream like Montreal as all that excess water flows down the St. Lawrence River.