Spring weather being what it is the National Weather Service office in State College requested amateur radio assistance to activate Skywarn operations from their amateur radio station.  Greg, K3HOT staffed the station on each activation.  Communications were successful through much of the area covered by NWS-CTP, thirty three counties in Central Pennsylvania.

On May 23d Greg communicated with Centre, Clearfield, Cambria, Bedford, and Mifflin counties.

During the May 25th operation he contacted Blair and Cambria counties.

May 28th included contacts with Northumberland, Clearfield, Blair, Centre, Dauphin, and Bedford Counties.  Altoona stations reported pea sized or larger hail.

May 29th saw the worst weather outbreak in the area this month.  NWS officials were issuing multiple severe thunderstorm warnings for the entire area.  Reports were received from Dauphin, Perry, Centre, Bedford, Cumberland, York, and Franklin Counties.  These included reports of a wall cloud moving toward Harrisburg and heavy rains and wind in other areas.  NWS called in all of their meteorologists to cover these systems.

May 30th the activation was much less serious and shorter.  Dauphin and Snyder Counties reported heavy rains.

Greg spent around forty hours at NWS CTP during these activations.  Skywarn is a significant public service relaying ‘ground truth’ into the weather service and providing another communications circuit to send warning information into areas threatened by these weather systems.

Special thanks to Greg for his work and to NWS CTP for their support and cooperation in Skywarn operations.

Carmine Prestia, K3CWP,  ARRL EC Centre County, PA