Collier County ARES/RACES volunteers work closely with the National Weather Service Nexrad Forecast Office in Miami to provide a storm spotter network throughout the 1,994 square miles of the county. Dale Huguley KG5QD is the volunteer SKYWARN coordinator for Emergency Management. In September of 1997 the most recent basic severe weather spotter course was taught in Naples by Jim Lushine Warning Coordination Meteorologist from the Miami NWS office. In June 1996, seventeen ARES/RACES members from Collier County travelled to Miami for the Intermediate phase of the training at the NWS office, which is co-located with the National Hurricane Center.

Amateur Radio plays an important role in operations at NWS/NHC. Here, Steve KD4VRY checks out W4EHW, the complete station (donated by Yaesu) located just off the NHC operations room. This station is capable of full legal power on HF, as well as voice, packet and APRS on VHF.

When a storm is occuring in an area where there are few, if any, NWS instruments available to provide accurate weather data, the station is manned by volunteers, who gather information from the Hurricane Watch Net (14.325 MHz), and pass the data to forecasters, such as Hurricane Center Director Max Mayfield, seen here talking with Gary and Dale KG5QD.  Amateur repeaters operated by Collier County Emergency Management, and the Amateur Radio Association of Southwest Florida provide an instant link via telephone speed dialer to the Miami Weather Service office. Typically, SKYWARN reported severe weather makes it possible for NWS to issue a warning within 4-5 minutes.

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© 2002, Board of County Commissioners of Collier County, Florida