09/12/2025
Amateur radio volunteers serving in the ARRL Amateur Radio Emergency
Service[1]¿ (ARES¿) and the National Weather Service SKYWARN¿ program were
active over the weekend. They were serving their communities in New England as
tornado-warned storms moved across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts.
Five EF1 tornadoes struck the central Massachusetts communities of Paxton,
Holden, Berlin and Stow.
A squall line of severe thunderstorms that would eventually have embedded
tornadoes in central Massachusetts swept across the region. SKYWARN nets
activated on repeaters across the area. Reports came in rapidly of downed trees
and wires, as well as hail up to ¿" in diameter in western Massachusetts, with
radio amateurs sharing critical damage reports from this area. In addition,
reports of damage were received in all of the tornado path areas in near real
time and were shared with the National Weather Service, Boston / Norton Weather
Forecast Office, WX1BOX[2], amateur radio team direct via repeaters, using
various applications, email, social media that the amateur radio team utilizes.
"It had been a below normal 2025 severe weather season with only one
large-scale severe weather event [in July] across Rhode Island and southeastern
Massachusetts," said Rob Macedo, KD1CY, ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section
Emergency Coordinator and SKYWARN Coordinator. "That all changed on September
6th."
Southern New England averages 2 tornadoes per year. The 6 states of New England
average 8 tornadoes per year and there had been none in 2025 until Saturday,
9/6, when 2/3 of the average yearly total occurred. This outbreak also put
southern New England above average for tornadoes in the 2025 season.
All active SKYWARN nets were secured around 6:30 PM Saturday. Andrew Loconto,
Lead Meteorologist NWS Norton MA, commented, "Thanks to the entire team for all
the reports today!" A complete summary of the severe weather in southern New
England can be seen on the WX1BOX web site[3].
[1] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNDMzNjc5JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zO
TY1NDUwMA/index.html
[2] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNDMzNjc5JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zO
TY1NDUwMQ/index.html
[3] https://arrl.informz.net/z/cjUucD9taT0zNDMzNjc5JnA9MSZ1PTUyNTgxODI4NCZsaT0zO
TY1NDUwMg/index.html
---
■ Synchronet ■ Whiskey Lover's Amateur Radio BBS
|
