Hawaii Hams Muster to Help Forecasters Track Tropical Storm Flossie


Hawaii Hams Muster to Help Forecasters Track Tropical Storm Flossie




Meteorologists have not confirmed earlier unofficial accounts that the mass of the Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes, with summits towering above 13,600 feet, combined with upper-level shear from the northwest, to split the storm in two. Emergency Coordinator Ron Hashiro, AH6RH, believes the tall volcanoes, combined with the mass of a third volcano, Mount Haleakala on Maui, to affect Flossie’s circular motion, causing it to further downgrade to a tropical disturbance. Unverified reports suggest the volcanoes also may have influenced Flossie’s moist air to deflect upward and raise the tops of the thunderclouds to heights approaching 60,000 feet above Maui, resulting in increased lightning activity.

“This cooperation between the SKYWARN net control stations and the NWS was fantastic,” said Jung. “This success was possible because emergency coordinators had worked previously with the Amateur Radio community that participated in this net.”

In August 2007, Hurricane Flossie, a powerful South Pacific cyclone, brought squalls and caused light damage in Hawaii.