LEARNING CURVE

CQ columnists write articles at least two months prior to publication. As I write this article, it’s the dead of winter and there’s an impending snow event; however, it’s not that great of a stretch to think about severe weather even during winter. It’s appealing to think about spring’s warmer temperatures in the cold of winter. Springtime is the season for more outdoor activities, direct sunlight illuminating the northern hemisphere, warmer temperatures, higher humidity, higher dew points, subsequent thunderstorms, and tornadoes. Typically, we associate T-storms, straight-line winds, derechos, tornadoes, and hurricanes with spring and summer months. However, autumn and winter can also spawn severe weather. That’s why it’s a good idea for every public service-minded amateur radio operator to keep a watchful eye to the sky all year long.

Severe Weather Happens Anytime

To illustrate the point, late Friday afternoon on December 10, 2021, temperatures rose to the mid-60s). A squall line developed that evening and an EF3 tornado touched down, not too far from my home in St. Charles County, Missouri (just west of St. Louis), causing extensive damage to homes and outbuildings near Defiance, Missouri (, , and ) before crossing the Missouri River and entering St. Louis County. This tornado was on the ground for 25 miles, packing 165-mph winds and a maximum width of 165 yards resulting in two injuries and one fatality ().