| Severe Weather Backup phone Number | 412-262-1988 (Severe weather only!) |
| Fax number | 412-262-2034 |
| E-spotter | espotter.weather.gov |
| E-mail : | PBZ-Skywarn@noaa.gov |
| NWS Pittsburgh Website | www.erh.noaa.gove/er/pbz |
| NOAA Weather Radio website: | www.nws.noaa.gov/nwr |
| Storm Prediction Center | www.spc.noaa.gov |
| Heavy Precipitation Center (NCEP) | www.hpc.ncep.noaa/gov |
| NWS/NOAA Online Weather School | www.srh.noaa.gov/jetstream |
| AHPS River Flood Monitoring | www.weather.gov/ahps |
| CocoRahs website | www.cocorahs.org |
| Basic SKYWARN Brochure (PDF File) | www.nws.noaa/gov/om/brochures/basicsport.pdf |
| Advanced SKYWARN Brochure (PDF File) | www.nws.noaa/gov/om/brochures/advspg.pdf |
| NWS Amateur Radio Frequency | 147.09 MHz, Backup - 146.88 MHz |
IMPORTANT WEATHER TO REPORT
When you report to the NWS, either by phone or amateur radio, please give your SKYWARN number, your location (including your county), and the time of the observation. Try to report as soon as possible after observing the event and, remember to be careful! Please concentrate on the following phenomena:
| SNOWFALL | After 2 inches of new snow, and then at 4 inches, 6 inches, and every 3 inches thereafter (e.g.., 2, 4, 6, 9, 12, etc..) |
|
|---|---|---|
| FREEZING RAIN | As soon as you observe the occurrence of freezing rain or freezing drizzle, especially if it starts to collect on objects. Call again if the glaze / ice accumulation exceeds 1/4 inch |
|
| THUNDER SNOW | Location and time of occurrence | |
| WIND SPEEDS | Report wind speeds greater than 40 mph | |
| RAINFALL | Report when you receive one inch (and then at least every inch thereafter) | |
| FUNNEL CLOUD | A "rotating" appendage descending from the base of a cumulonimbus cloud, but not touching the ground. If possible, always look at the area beneath the funnel cloud for flying debris. If flying debris is observed, it is a tornado. |
|
| TORNADO | Violently rotating column of air descending from a cumulonimbus cloud and touching the ground. Look for flying debris. If possible, report any injuries or fatalities |
|
| HAIL | Report any size hail. Specify the diameter based on the hail scale (see other side) | |
| FLOODING | Report any flooding you observe, including basement, road, stream, creek, and ice jam flooding. Report the name of the stream / creek, road number / name (if applicable) and depth |
|
| DAMAGE | Report all storm-related damage (large branches, fallen trees, structural damage, flood damage, etc..) Even if it is several days after the event. |
| DEWPOINT SCALE | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Degrees "F" | 50-55 | 55-60 | 60-65 | 65-70 | >70 |
| Thunderstorm chance | Poor | Fair | Moderate | Good | Excellent |
| HAIL SCALE | ||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pea | Small Marble | Dime | Nickel | Quarter | Half Dollar | Golfball | Baseball | Softball |
| (0.25 in) | (0.50 in) | (0.75 in) | (0.88 in) | (1.00 in) | (1.25 in) | (1.75 in) | (2.75 in) | (4.00 in) |
|
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| ESTIMATED WIND SCALE | |
|---|---|
| 25-31 MPH | Large branches in motion; whistling in telephone wires |
| 32-38 MPH | Entire trees in motion; slight difficulty walking against wind |
| 39-54 MPH | Twigs break off trees; wind generally impedes progress |
| 55-72 MPH | Damage to chimneys and TV antenna; large limbs / branches down |
| 73-112 MPH | Roof surfaces damaged; windows broken; light mobile homes moved or overturned; moving vehicles pushed off road |
| 113-157 MPH | Roofs torn off; weak buildings and mobile homes destroyed |
| >158 MPH | Severe damage; cars lifted completely off ground |
| DEFINITIONS | |
|---|---|
| Severe Thunderstorm | A thunderstorm which produces hail to 3/4 inch in diameter or larger and/or wind gusts to 58 mph (50 kts) or greater |
| Watch | Conditions are favorable for the weather event in or near the watch area. The weather event is imminent or occurring in the warned area |
| Warning | The weather event is imminent or occuring in the warned area |
| Advisory | The weather event will be an inconvenience. However, if caution is not exercised, it could become life-threatening (mostly during the winter months) |
| Flash Flood | A flood caused by heavy rainfall in a short period of time, generally less than 6 hrs |
| Flood | Inundation caused by heavy rain which generally takes greater than 6 hrs to occur |
| Tornado | A violently rotating column of air which extends from a thunderstorm and it is in contact with the ground |
| Funnel Cloud | A rotating, funnel-shaped cloud extending from the base of a thunderstorm and is not in contact with the ground |
| Downburst | A strong downdraft with an out rush of damaging wind on or near the ground |
| Macroburst - swath of damaging wind more than 2.5 miles wide | |
| Microburst - swath of damaging wind 2.5 miles wide or less | |
| SKYWARN FAQ'S |
|---|
| SKYWARN recertification - every 5 years |
| SKYWARN Newsletter issued twice a year and displayed on our website |
| Your SKYWARN number will remain the same unless you are dropped from our database |
| NWS Pittsburgh SKYWARN list group : http://groups.yahoo.com/group/skywarn_pittsburgh |