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After nearly a year without any significant
tornado activity, December 18, Arkansas again was in the bull’s eye of
severe weather. A cold front pushed in from the west colliding with warm
moist air being pumped into the state from the Gulf of Mexico, creating
the necessary ingredients for severe weather.
The National Weather Service activated the
Arkansas Skywarn Net about 2:00 PM. Arkansas Skywarn Personnel
Coordinator, Pat Dixon, N5ZSN, Little Rock Assistant Emergency
Coordinator, Jerry Dixon, N5WVI and Central Arkansas Radio Emergency Net
(C.A.R.E.N.) Vice President, Tom Shaw, KD5CBT, activated the Arkansas
Skywarn Station at the North Little Rock office of the National Weather
Service. Within 20 minutes 8 tornado warnings were issued starting at 3:35
PM.
One hundred three Arkansas Skywarn
stations were active until 11:07 PM. The National Weather Service issued
48 warnings during the 9 hour Net.
Bill Clay, KD5RQL, an Arkansas State
Police Dispatcher, was instrumental in timely and accurate reports when an
F3 tornado hit Faulkner County, Arkansas, resulting in one fatality and
several injuries.
This was the same cold front that moved
into Mississippi, December 19, causing the devastation reported by the
Mississippi ARES volunteers. Hail up to 2” in diameter, heavy rain up to 6
inches, damaging straight-line winds and tornadoes developed in Desha,
Faulkner, Lincoln, Prairie, Saline, Woodruff, Jackson, Lonoke, White and
Cross Counties, Arkansas.
At the request of Roger Elliot, the
American Red Cross Arkansas State Disaster Director, Richard Thompson,
W5SUB, activated the Ham Station at Red Cross Headquarters to help
coordinate the Red Cross effort to provide needed services to about 85
families whose homes had been damaged or destroyed by the severe weather.
Mr. Elliot credited Ham Radio Operators in assisting the Red Cross to
mobilize more quickly and accurately to needy victims.
When Arkansas Skywarn is activated, Randy
Wright KB5ZZI, activates the Ham Station at KARK TV, Channel Four in
Little Rock, to provide the public the latest weather warning information,
hot off the Skywarn Net.
Renee Fair, Meteorologist In Charge and
John Robinson, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather
Service praised the accuracy and dedication of the Arkansas Skywarn, Ham
Radio Severe Storm Spotter Volunteers.
Arkansas Skywarn, the Central Arkansas
Radio Emergency Net (CAREN), Pulaski County, Little Rock and North Little
Rock, ARES/RACES, actively serve Emergency Management, area hospitals, the
Red Cross, the Salvation Army, Arkansas State Agencies and the Arkansas
Department of Emergency Management, Conway, Arkansas.
Dale Temple, W5RXU
President, Arkansas Skywarn
Emergency Coordinator, Little Rock, Ar.
ARRL, Emergency Communications Course, Level 3 |
