Dayton Skywarn

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Detailed and fabulous information below if you are a weather spotter. PLEASE READ. Forward to any ham you know not on a mailing list.

Additional: If you are a Greene County resident, you can check in to the Greene County Weather net on 147.165 W8XRN. A liaison will relay your information to Dayton Skywarn.

Elizabeth Klinc, KE8FMJ
OHIO Section Public Information Coordinator
District Emergency Coordinator, D3 Ohio ARES
Assistant Emergency Coordinator, Greene County

Severe weather season is upon us and today could be a rough one. This is a friendly reminder to all and especially to those you have not recently attended an NWS Wilmington Skywarn Training Class, the Dayton Skywarn Reporting Protocols.

When you hear the double deep on the 146.640 K8MCA Repeater, Dayton Skywarn is activated. This is a DIRECTED NET. Check ins are ONLY taken from liaisons from County Skywarn Nets. Montgomery County Amateur Radio Operators may check in IF AND ONLY IF you have something to report that meets the criteria below. Dayton Skywarn may and on occasion request additional information from amateurs that the National Weather Service Wilmington is looking for.

Dayton Skywarn is here to gather accurate and timely information from trained spotters and deliver that information to the National Weather Service for their decision-making process and verification. Dayton Skywarn is not here to provide personalized weather forecasts or to do radio checks.

WHAT TO REPORT TO DAYTON SKYWARN/W8OK

  1. CLOUD FORMATIONS
    • Roll Clouds
    • Wall Cloud with or without rotation
    • Rotating Funnel Shaped Clouds
    • Roar and Debris
    • Tornado
  2. HAIL (Pea size 0.25” or larger) and does it cover the ground
  3. WINDS OVER 40 MPH – Estimated or Measured
  4. FLASH FLOODING – Ponding of Water
  5. RAIN GAUGE REPORTS – 1” or more in 1 hour, total after storm.
  6. DAMAGE REPORTS – Buildings, trees, utility poles. Need diameter and direction they fell.
  7. WHAT NOT TO REPORT TO DAYTON SKYWARN
    • Lightning
    • Activation of Warning Sirens
    • Power Outages
    • Information heard over Public Service Frequencies / Media
    • Weather reports that don’t meet the reporting criteria.

Please share this information along to other amateurs in the area. Be weather aware today and as always, thank you for everything you do.

Regards,
Robert M. Flory – KA5RUC
Emergency Coordinator
Montgomery County, Ohio
Amateur Radio Emergency Service (ARES®), Inc.