[Looking at history and our area’s unique political and religious attitudes.]

It is February, the end of the holiday season, which begins in November, and the beginning of severe weather season in our region. We recently completed our annual trek to the National Weather Service (NWS) Storm Spotter Training.

This is a program on how to comprehend cloud formations, understand their track, and identify severe weather. Storm Spotters recognize and report severe weather. Storm Chasers are an entirely different breed who interact intensely with the weather and have movies made about them, such as “Twister.” While we are both weather nerds, we are not adrenaline junkies.

Who cares about the details of the weather? Most folks that live in our neck of the woods pay close attention in one way or another. We may go a little further. Our engineering failure analysis business is intensely involved with natural energy particularly lightning research and wind damage. We are both pilots, where survival depends on knowing weather movement. We live rural, on a ranch, on the highest ridge in the area, which creates unusual micro-weather including lightning drama. Finally we are long-time ham (amateur) radio operators, which provides communications for the weather folks who are out and about.

Why do locals care about weather? We are in the heart of severe weather because of the confluence of frontal passages from the west, the jet stream from the north and moisture from the Gulf to the south. That much energy colliding releases ‘exciting’ weather.

A couple of weeks ago, we had thunder-snow. Yes, lightning and thunder with ice then snowfall. In a few days severe weather will invade the neighborhood. What severe meteorological conditions do we not have? Hurricanes fizzle before they arrive and our mountains do not produce avalanches. We have the rest of the ingredients of winds, water, and wide temperature swings.

Try a quick trivia question? What months do not have tornadoes in Oklahoma? None. Tornadoes have occurred in every month. What is the peak month? May. A second peak occurs in November. Is that what you expected?

How does the NWS define a severe thunderstorm? The three conditions are produces a tornado, winds at least 58 mph, and/or hail at least quarter-sized 1-in diameter.

What meteorological condition produces the most fatalities? Flood drownings exceed tornado and lightning incidents. Heed the campaign ‘Turn around, don’t drown.’ You cannot know the condition of the road under the water and seemingly little water can wash even the largest vehicle downstream.

The NWS recommends every one have at least three ways to get weather notifications from a long list of options: weather radio, television, radio, internet, pagers/email, smartphone apps, WEA-cell phones, social media, subscription services, warning sirens (outdoor).

The local NWS training occurs from late January typically to the end of March and is scheduled for three hours at different conference rooms around the region. Each year we attend another location to better understand the local conditions. According to the NWS website, it “trains members of police & fire departments, emergency management officials, and amateur radio operators.”

The Evergreen Communications Group conducts ham classes six-times a year. The next starts on the first Saturday of March, 9 – 11 AM. Then a second session is in two weeks. Than take and pass the exam in two weeks. If you follow instructions you will be a new ham in four-weeks. Promise. We do not ask about your background or experience. Just do you want your license? You can have it this season. (www.evergreencg.org).

The Tulsa Amateur Radio Club operates the weather network across the region. Locally it is on 443.85 MHz, PL tone 88.5, which is channel 7 on Evergreen programmed radios.

Why do most people get an amateur radio license? For emergency communications. Around this region, the most common emergency is weather related, which may lead to power outages. But then you can learn to use it with other communications, too.

The NWS asks a question. What if there is no electricity, no internet service, no cell service, no cable/sat television, asleep, or away from home?

If the NWS training is available to you, we strongly encourage a refresher, annually. They use recent events as illustrations.

Think about it. Besides severe thunderstorms, the region has all the ingredients of bad weather. Be aware, Be prepared. Consider, ham radio works when nothing else does. See you soon.