Storms in the Northeast

[Paul, K2ORC]

After an unseasonably warm weekend, a low pressure system arrived here with a vengeance Sunday evening around nightfall.  Although the storm itself was relatively brief, we saw quite a bit of lightning, some small hail and winds that topped 60 mph. 

The winds took down branches, trees and powerlines around our area and at my home it swept away the leaves that had been tenaciously clinging to the oaks and maples in the woods where my antennas are strung. 

With the view aloft now unimpeded, antenna work can finally begin and my 75 meter dipole can finally be repaired.   I did a quick walk into the woods at 6:15 this morning and saw that my 160 meter dipole is sagging so that's going to need attention, too. 

I'm off work tomorrow and the forecast looks good, so Election Day will be Erection Day.  With a proper antenna back up for 75 meters it'll be good to be able to once more strap Ralph on the What's For Dinner Net. 

How did others fare with the storms?

 

[Herb K2VH]

I'm off work tomorrow and the forecast looks good, so Election Day will be Erection Day. 

I shall not comment on the above .

[WA3VJB]

Last Shout - Posted by: WA3VJB - Monday, 07 November 2005 05:07
GROUND YER ANTS !!! Sharp storm moving through the NE !!

Something about clouds and silver linings, there G-Type, what with aerial aerobatics now planned.
Hope to hear you on by tonight.,

[Paul, K2ORC]

Last Shout - Posted by: WA3VJB - Monday, 07 November 2005 05:07
GROUND YER ANTS !!! Sharp storm moving through the NE !!

Something about clouds and silver linings, there G-Type, what with aerial aerobatics now planned.
Hope to hear you on by tonight.,

Well, it'll be Tuesday, C-type, but hell or high water, I will be making waves again on 75 meters come Tuesday evening.   I'm tired of W3GL saying he cannot hear me. 

Special announcement: N2YR advises that he will be coming with dog Gizmo to provide antenna expertise.  I'm going to clip the dog's toenails and we'll smoke a Parodi in honor of the Guigliermo Marconi Net. 

Cigars will be smoked, arrows will be shot and cussing will occur.  All in a day's work at the Radio 65 South Antenna Farm and Doggy Grooming Parlor.

[WA3VJB]

W3GL can't hear you ?

Wow.

You should be ashamed of your signal, because that implies he has tried to listen.

I've never been treated that way.

[k4kyv]

I followed that storm Saturday evening on the Vaisala Lightning Explorer® as it passed through the midwest.  It hit here about 3 AM Sunday with some lightning, but nothing severe.  The next day it was in the news that this same system spawned tornadoes near Evansville, IN, resulting in over a dozen deaths.  Sunday evening, there was still heavy QRN on 75 and 160, even though the wx was clear here.  The thunderstorm map showed this same system, almost identical in size, shape and intensity as what I observed Saturday evening, about to move across upstate NY and New England.

[W3SLK]

Don said:

I followed that storm Saturday evening on the Vaisala Lightning Explorer® as it passed through the midwest.

I did the same thing here Don as well as watch the NEXRAD radar out of State College. When it did finally arrive, we got some dime sized hail for about 5 minutes and then about 0.08" rain. Highest wind speed I recorded was about 32 MPH. The lightning was impressive but all in all, the storm lasted about 20 minutes and then the crescent moon came out from behind the clouds.

[k3zrf]

I will be making waves again on 75 meters come Tuesday evening.   I'm tired of W3GL saying he cannot hear me.

Doesn't surprise me at all, he's got to drop the carrier once in a while to listen

Good luck, will listen.

[John Holotko]

I followed that storm Saturday evening on the Vaisala Lightning Explorer® as it passed through the midwest.  It hit here about 3 AM Sunday with some lightning, but nothing severe.  The next day it was in the news that this same system spawned tornadoes near Evansville, IN, resulting in over a dozen deaths.  Sunday evening, there was still heavy QRN on 75 and 160, even though the wx was clear here.  The thunderstorm map showed this same system, almost identical in size, shape and intensity as what I observed Saturday evening, about to move across upstate NY and New England.

Don, it always worries me when we get unseasonably warm weather at this time of the year. All too often I have seen a stretch of unseasonably warm weather end in severe damaging storms, severe winds, hail, lightening and tornadoes. Many people consider it a blessing when we get 60+ degree weather in November, december or January,. I tend to get worried as to what will follow that kind of unseasonable weather.

Last winter we had a stretch of unusually warm 60-65 degree warm  humid weather in late december. At about 4:30 AM my weather alert radio went off with a warning about some extremely severe thunderstors (and possible tornadoes) heading our way. We got spared the worst of it, we only got some rain, lightning and moderately strong winds (40-50mph).  States further south were not so lucky, storms simil;ar to what just happened in Indiana hit a few towns. The next day the temperatures dropped through the 20's into the low teens.
 

[Herb K2VH]

I will be making waves again on 75 meters come Tuesday evening.   I'm tired of W3GL saying he cannot hear me.

Doesn't surprise me at all, he's got to drop the carrier once in a while to listen

Good luck, will listen.

Paul and Dave,

The only reason Onkel Rolf can't hear is that he doesn't listen.  He's too busy talking over anybody and everybody who transmits on 3825, even if it's only to say, "Yakety Yak."

[k4kyv]

Don, it always worries me when we get unseasonably warm weather at this time of the year. All too often I have seen a stretch of unseasonably warm weather end in severe damaging storms, severe winds, hail, lightening and tornadoes. Many people consider it a blessing when we get 60+ degree weather in November, december or January,. I tend to get worried as to what will follow that kind of unseasonable weather.

That's exactly what happened here in 1999, in late January.  We had several days of unseasonably warm weather, into the mid-60's to low 70's.  Everybody was commenting on how wonderful the warm wx was.  Then early in the morning of the 22nd, a F-4 tornado hit the local downtown and wiped it off the map.  What was  left of it looked like photos of German cities after WW2.  Luckily, no-one was killed or seriously hurt, but that was because it hit about 4 AM.  If it had hit in midmorning, hundreds would have most likely died. 

My QTH is about 8 miles from ground zero.

Some photos can be viewed at

http://www.srh.noaa.gov/ohx/surveys/ss012299.htm

BTW, QRN is so bad here tonight I didn't even turn on anything but the receiver.  The
Vaisala map shows heavy T-storm activity over the eastern half of Ohio, extending down as far as the border with WVA.

https://thunderstorm.vaisala.com/tux/jsp/explorer/explorer.jsp.

[KR4WI]

Hey Paul: I heard you this morning with the other Paul and 3 station, hr in southeast Ky. You  really had a good signal, so sounds like ant is doing ok for you. I am like Don on the wx, It is 82 degrees now at 4:30 pm Wed, It is suppose to be around 30 degrees in the morning when we wake, So I am afraid of what can happen between now and daybreak with that big of change. Matthew KR4WI

[Paul, K2ORC]

Last Shout - Posted by: WA3VJB - Monday, 07 November 2005 05:07
GROUND YER ANTS !!! Sharp storm moving through the NE !!

Something about clouds and silver linings, there G-Type, what with aerial aerobatics now planned.
Hope to hear you on by tonight.,

Well, it'll be Tuesday, C-type, but hell or high water, I will be making waves again on 75 meters come Tuesday evening.   I'm tired of W3GL saying he cannot hear me. 

Special announcement: N2YR advises that he will be coming with dog Gizmo to provide antenna expertise.  I'm going to clip the dog's toenails and we'll smoke a Parodi in honor of the Guigliermo Marconi Net. 

Cigars will be smoked, arrows will be shot and cussing will occur.  All in a day's work at the Radio 65 South Antenna Farm and Doggy Grooming Parlor.

Mutha Nature cooperated in fine style with high 50s temps, occasional sun, no rain and very little wind so all in all, the antenna party was a success.  The proof was in signal reports later in the afternoon and early evening prior to and during the What's for Dinner Net.

The antenna erection process had some moments, but prayers to Our Lady of the Bullseye were heard.   N2YR, despite his current limited mobility, proved he's still the Hiawatha and Bill Tell of these here parts. 

Even with a bowstring that popped most of its strands on the first shot, he managed to complete three shots and we got the center point at between 70 and 80 feet.  We also used up the complete spool of monofilament on the old spinning rod and the remainder of the safety orange mason's twine that turns your hands orange as you haul on it.   Happily, the chain saw only had to be used once on a sapling that finally got on my nerves and with that the antenna went up to a solid 60 feet through the oaks and maples.

Poor Gizmo, Joe's faithful sidekick, didn't fare quite as well. I clipped one of his nails a tad too close to the quick and his paw was quickly red with blood.  He was displeased with me, to put it mildly.  Some Quickstop powder took care of the bleeding and Joe finished the job without further incident.  Giz later agreed to accept a dog treat and my apologies and we parted as friends... I think.

No Parodis were smoked, instead N2YR brought along a pair of tube packed green leaf plutocrat seegars.  We sat solemnly considering our smokes while exchanging comments on the world with a solemnity that matched the luxurious smokes.  Since the cigars made neither of us turn green or do the big spit, I'd say the day was a success from end to end.