🚀 go-pugleaf

Two points of info that have been brought up recently involving so called
"coded" transmissions....

Here on the Florida West Coast we also use Red, Yellow, and Green...with
very similar meanings compared to the others I have seen or read about on
this sig.  However, I think you can go too far.  At one point, another
nearby county was using spotter location codes that went something like
this...011-090-015....that would be spotter #11 located 090 degrees at 15
miles from the radar site...that got a little confusing.

We use major intersections as locators...much easier for the
meteorologists at Ruskin to find on the map and no confusion on the part
of those participating in the net.

Secondly, the criteria for Spotter reporting, although based on a
nationwide standard, must be modified slightly according to location.  He
in the subtropics...2 inches of rain per hour is normal for a summer
seabreeze thunderstorm...in fact....three inches of rain per hour is not
uncommon.  Therefore, our reporting criteria is excessive rainfall which
is resulting in unusual or abnormal street flooding...a necessary
terminology since some of our streets flood if you spit....

Secondly, the term "severe lightning" takes on a whole new meaning when
you live in the lightning capital of the United States.  We require
continuous cloud to ground lightning less than one second apart for at
least 30 seconds before it is considered "severe."

Finally, here in Florida, straight line winds cause much more damage than
tornadoes...and they can occur any day of the year.  We report winds of
40 mph or higher, even though the normal threshold is 55 mph or higher.
We do this because of the marine interests...Pinellas County is
completely surrounded by water...and the criteria for a Special Marine
Warning is 40 mph (ie..Gale Force).

The important point is that the remainder of our traffic is plain
voice...and weather bulletins are read verbatim over the air....I know
for a fact that the two AM all-news broadcasters monitor our frequency,
as do some of the television folks.

de Kevin Heyboer KD4UYR
Pinellas County, Florida
Skywarn Coordinator