Safety Statement
Your most important responsibility as a Skywarn Spotter is safety- your safety and the safety of others. Participation in the Skywarn Program does not grant you any special authority or privilege. In other words, you may not violate any traffic law or operate your vehicle in an unsafe manner. You have no authority to place your vehicle in a location that impedes the flow of traffic. The use of any emergency lighting with the exception of factory installed four-way blinkers is not acceptable.

Current Mesoscale Discussion

Current Weather Watches/Warnings

Today's Convective Weather Outlook

Highlights

Winter Operations Information Here are the online versions of our Nassau Skywarn Winter Storm Operations Guide and Nassau Skywarn Snowfall Reporting Guide. The latter having an in-depth explanation of snow measurement technique. Please take a few moments to download and read at your convenience. 2009 Blizzard Thank you to the over 30 spotters that participated in the 2009 blizzard severe weather event! We even received some coverage from Newsday. Skywarn Recognition Day Another fun event out an NWS Upton. Nor'easter Certificate earned for 44 NWS stations contacted. Upcoming Training Snow Measuring and Winter Reporting training January 28th.

Balloon Girl Dori, W2DAG launches the Radiosonde

... a message from our coordinator, Bruce, K2BRG...

It looks like winter got off to one heck of a start here on Long Island. The December 19th-20th blizzard dropped record snow, but fortunately did not result in many injuries, deaths or property damage. As with most of our coastal storms, this did result in further erosion to our beaches.

I want to pass along thanks from the staff at NWS Upton for your timely and accurate reports throughout the event. I also thank our net control stations, Harris, Tim, Phil as well my deputy Larry who spent long hours at the switch. Again, our team came out it great numbers and did a great job. Thanks!

On Monday, December 21, I was interviewed by Bill Bleyer from Newsday in a story he was doing on how the NWS gets weather data from beyond their own offices. The article appeared on December 22 and I have posted a copy online.

The weekend of December 4, 2009 was Skywarn Recognition Day. This nationwide event operates out of participating National Weather Service offices. Nassau Skywarn along with Suffolk Skywarn worked with the meteorologists to contact as many other NWS offices as possible. Like Field Day, SRD is not a contest, but offices earn a certificate based on the number of offices contacted. We contacted forty-four stations earning Upton a Nor'easter Certificate.

Brian KC2UHT and Larry, N2VGA

On the radio from NWS were Gary Conte (KC2UHS) and Brian Ciemnecki (KC2UHT). Walter Wenzel (KA2RGI) led the Suffolk Skywarn contingent. Representing Nassau County were Deputy Coordinator Larry De Simone (N2VGA), Lance Aue (KA2EJD), Rob Yenis (KC2ILP), Dori Gronich (W2DAG), and Andrew Gronich (W2ARG), and myself.

No antennas have been installed yet, but Upton has a new 90' heavy duty tower. Soon, we should be able to reach Upton using the 146.805 repeater.

I will be teaching a Snow Measuring and Winter Reporting Class at the joint Nassau County ARES/Skywarn meeting on January 28, 2010. The class will be held at the Nassau County Chapter of the American Red Cross in Mineola at 7:30PM. Please let me know ahead of time if you need a snow stick and I will see what I can do about getting some more.

Bruce, K2BRG and Gary KC2UHS

Please be sure to join us every Sunday evening on the 146.805 weekly Skywarn Training Net. Your presence and support is greatly appreciated. Winter has just started and we may have just only started to shovel our way through.

Whether you have formal Skywarn training or not, your participation is welcome. If you are a spotter and not an Amateur Radio operator, you can participate directly with the NWS. Of course, if you are interested in obtaining your Amateur Radio license, we can help get you trained and licensed!

On behalf of the staff of NWS Upton and the Skywarn leadership, thank you you for your past and continuing participation. We had a great 2009 and we are looking forward to an even greater 2010.

If you have any questions, suggestions and ideas- please feel free to contact myself or our Deputy Coordinator, Larry, N2VGA.

73 and safe spotting (and safe shoveling),

Bruce, K2BRG
Nassau County SKYWARN Coordinator

Current Weather Information

• Upton's NY Emergency Manager's Page

• Current Warnings / Watches from Upton
  
• Weather Underground Current Local Radar
  
• Upton Hazardous Outlook
  
• Current Upton Radar Page
  
• Satellite Imagery at Unisys
  
• National Hurricane Center
  
• NWS Storm Prediction Center, Norman OK
  
• Northeast Data Bouy Center
  
• Storm Pulse (an excellent hurricane resource)
  

National Hurricane Center

Satellite Imagery Page at Unisys