Hi everyone & welcome to your July ALERT Newsletter. July will be a transition month for ALERT as we welcome our new President Ronnie King as he assumes the reigns of leadership. There will be an upcoming Board of Directors meeting and Ronnie requests that if there there any items that you would like for the Board to address just drop him an email at wx4ron@gmail.com so he can add them to the meeting agenda. Our next regular meeting will be July 9 and dues are due! To respond to ALERT callouts and have access to the NWSChat system you must be an Operational ALERT member. To remain an Operational ALERT Member you must be a paid up member. If you are not paid up you can’t participate. So make sure to renew your membership at the July meeting! Dues for Operational and Supporting Members are $20 per person and $10 for each additional family member. Membership for students and senior citizens over 65 is $10.Some members have been known to pay for two years. If you choose this method, make sure to let us know, so we can keep track as the year changes. Continue reading →

Hi Everyone, I hope all is going well with you. To start our lengthy newsletter, I’ll just give a quick reminder that the ALERT elections will be held at our June 11 meeting. I urge you to attend and let your voice be heard. I hope to see you there! ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………… Broadcast Irresponsibility This is the only way I can kindly describe it, as I sit listening to a replay of Oklahoma City’s KFOR Meteorologist Mike Morgan telling his viewers at least eight times to get in their cars and drive south of the city as a large rain wrapped tornado rapidly bore down on the city. Though admitting that the interstate was already a “parking lot”, since it was rush hour, he later advised people twice to “abandon your cars” as the storm reached the city. “Unfortunately there are hundreds and hundreds of cars on the road……a lot of people are panicking trying to leave their house…..you really can’t move very much.” – Chase Thomason KFOR See https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dX7uzdfktB4 & http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KnCP4TMhUTo Of the ei Continue reading →

Hi Everyone, I hope this finds you doing well & that you have been enjoying these sunny mid-spring days. Our May ALERT meeting will feature the presentation of nominees for our upcoming elections. The election normally takes place the meeting after the presentation & the officers then assume their positions at the July meeting. July is also when ALERT dues are due. Remember, if you want to respond to ALERT callouts or serve as an officer you MUST be current with your dues. So put the teeth in, comb that one remaining hair and head to the NWS Forecast Office May the 14th at 7PM. I hope to see you at the meeting! ………………………………………………………………………………………………………………….. The 5 Main Ways To Push Up Daisies In A Disaster Part 3 Before we continue with our series, I want to thank those who have sent me feedback, all of which has been positive. One item covered was fire sustainers, such as Vaseline soaked cotton balls or a candle, to preserve an nascent flame long enough to add fuel to build a workable fire. One intriguing idea which Teresa shared is to use a “trick relighting birthday” can Continue reading →

“There is no tornado in that storm” my English teacher sarcastically told us. “I’m from Kansas, and IF there were a tornado in that storm, there would be hail. There’s no hail.” What prompted the concern of my classmates and I that April day was the skies darkening pea green color and the rapidly increasing wind. Unknown to us, the students on the bottom floor of my school had correctly been told to crouch down in the hallway, while we teenage miscreants on the top floor of the high school were told nothing, except to “hush” and everything was business as usual. We were unaware that the F5 tornado which would become known as the “Smithfield Tornado” was passing us, two miles to the north. The next day the teacher wasn’t particularly interested in discussing her forecasting abilities, even though we were VERY eager to discuss it. “Hush”, she said, free speech being stifled again. April weather in Alabam Continue reading →