KEY CONTACT INFORMATION
NWS Mt. Holly Forecast Office WX2PHI 800 523 4129
Mercer Skywarn Coordinator Leon, n0taz mercer_skywarn@yahoo.com 973 333 4796
Mercer Assistant Coordinator Hy, ab2vg hygold@comcast.net 609 392 6748
SKYWARN REPEATERS AND FREQUENCIES
Primary Repeater: 147.105 MHz (+ offset, PL 123.0) Secondary Repeater: 442.200 MHz (+ offset, PL 141.3)
Simplex Frequency: 146.580 MHz
THE MERCER ARES/RACES/SKYWARN NET IS HELD EVERY TUESDAY AT 8:00 PM ON THE K2UQ REPEATER.
REPORTING PROCEDURES
Skywarn is activated either by an announcement from the National Weather Service Forecast Office or when certain severe weather conditions present. Once activated, Spotters should make their reports through their County Coordinator, Assistant Coordinator or the Net Control Station, if possible, before attempting to call the NWS 800 number. If you send a report by e-mail, you should call the recipients to let them know of your report to ensure that it is read in a timely fashion. BE SURE THAT THE EVENT YOU ARE REPORTING IS A “REPORTABLE” EVENT (see criteria below).
Spotters who are not Amateur Radio Operators may report conditions by phone to the Mercer County Skywarn Coordinator by e-mail to mercer_skywarn@yahoo.com. WHEN DOING SO, PLEASE PROVIDE (1) YOUR SPOTTER I.D., (2) THE DATE AND TIME OF YOUR OBSERVATION, (3) YOUR LOCATION, AND (4) DETAILS OF YOUR OBSERVATION. YOUR MESSAGE SHOULD BE AS DIRECT AND SHORT AS POSSIBLE.
The Primary Repeater is used for Skywarn Nets and Activations. In the event that the Primary Repeater is being used for other emergency traffic, or in the event of a repeater malfunction, Mercer County Skywarn activities will be handled on the Secondary Repeater. In the event that both the Primary and the Secondary Repeaters cannot be used, all Mercer County Skywarn activities will be handled on the Simplex Frequency.
Severe weather watches may require activation. Whenever the NWS alert for Mercer County includes the phrase “Skywarn activation is requested”, Mercer County Skywarn will be activated. In addition to these activations by the on-duty NWS Mt. Holly Forecast Office Lead Forecaster, the first Skywarn Spotter on the repeater should assume Net Control duties until relieved or until the weather event is terminated. Please be sure to use the official Skywarn Net script and the official Skywarn Log. Normally, the NWS activation announcement will indicate the expiration time of a watch or warning. SKYWARN is automatically activated whenever any of the following conditions are tone alerted over local NOAA Weather Radio:
WARM SEASON SKYWARN ACTIVATION
Flood Warnings Severe Thunderstorm Warnings Tornado Warnings Tropical Storm Warnings Hurricane Warnings
WARM WEATHER REPORTING CRITERIA
Wind Gusts 58 m.p.h. or greater Rainfall rate of 2 inches per hour Flooding Tornados
Hail of any size
COOL SEASON SKYWARN ACTIVATION AND REPORTING CRITERIA
Blizzard Warnings Flood Warnings High Wind Warnings Winter Storm Warnings
Spotters should report Snowfall Accumulations based on the following criteria:
· When snow accumulates 1 inch (especially when none is forecast)
· When snow accumulates 3 inches (the NWS issues an advisory for 4 inches)
· When snow accumulates 5 inches (the NWS issues a warning for 6 inches)
· When snow accumulates 1 inch in 1 hour
· Storm Total Snowfall