Lightning Reveals Its Power in Slow Motion
Submitted by wd5m on Tue, 2010-02-09 07:41Tom Warner documents the powerful beauty of lightning with an array of optical and electromagnetic sensors. He often uses a Vision Research ‘Phantom’ high-speed camera.
Warner is a Ph.D student at the South Dakota School of Mines and Technology, in Rapid City. He studies atmospheric sciences with a specialty in lightning research. “Lightning is one of nature’s most spectacular phenomena,” says Warner. “I want to understand how lightning behaves.”
Feb. 9, 1870: Feds Get on Top of the Weather
Submitted by wd5m on Tue, 2010-02-09 07:38Feb. 9, 1870: Feds Get on Top of the Weather
1870: President Ulysses S. Grant signs a bill creating what we now call the National Weather Service. Forecasting models were simple but generally effective.
It had been obvious for centuries that weather in North America generally moves from west to east, or southwest to northeast. But other than looking upwind, that knowledge was little help in predicting the weather until you could move weather reports downwind faster than the weather itself was moving.
The telegraph finally made that possible. The Smithsonian Institution in 1849 began supplying weather instruments to telegraph companies. Volunteer observers submitted observations to the Smithsonian, which tracked the movement of storms across the country. Several states soon established their own weather services to gather data.
2010 Spotter Training Schedule
Submitted by wd5m on Sat, 2010-01-16 14:10The North Texas SKYWARN™ Spotter Training Schedule for 2010 has been published. Be sure to check the schedule often for updates and additions.
The Texas Thunderbolt - Spotter Newsletter
Submitted by wd5m on Wed, 2009-12-23 09:51The Texas Thunderbolt - Spotter Newsletter is published from the NWS Preparedness and Storm Spotter Information page.
Weather Information
Submitted by wd5m on Tue, 2009-12-22 20:07Spotters and volunteers should check the following information regularly during possible severe weather for updated information.
SRD Audio Recordings
Submitted by wd5m on Mon, 2009-12-14 10:24Audio recordings of some EchoLink and IRLP Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) contacts are linked below. Next year we'll try to provide HF and other recordings as well.
SKYWARN Recognition Day QSL Log
Submitted by wd5m on Tue, 2009-12-08 19:14We have created a log of contacts with a link to display a QSL card for printing. Click on the Read More to display the QSL Log page.
Field Day 2009
Submitted by KD5VYK on Thu, 2009-10-08 20:18Bobette has published some photos from Field Day at the Fort Worth NWS office.
SKYWARN reporting with Radio over Internet Protocol (RoIP) Links
Submitted by wd5m on Sat, 2009-07-04 19:27The Ft. Worth NWS SKYWARN Team operate multiple amateur radio systems, including RoIP systems such as EchoLink and IRLP. Our RoIP radio systems are normally dedicated to direct connections with remote SKYWARN spotter radio stations in affected areas during weather events. We may limit incoming connections by use of an “allow list” of authorized stations. This helps us manage connections and limited network bandwidth during weather events.
