LeeCARES activates SKYWARN net and Monitors the sky twice in a week.

LeeCARES activated a SKYWARN net on May 12, 2020 when the Austin – San Antonio National Weather Service issued a Severe Thunderstorm Warning for our County. Reports were submitted by ARES members and other stations within the County and from adjacent counties. Thanks to an amateur operator we were able to report to the National Weather Service a tornado touching down at the intersection of HWY 77 and HWY 21 directed toward Old Dime Box. The National Weather Service (NWS) confirmed it and sent out warnings to those on its path. Wholehearted thank you to each and all participants, job well done! The SKYWARN net lasted three hours. A report of the SKYWARN net was sent to Lee County public officials.

On Friday May 15, the LeeCARES Emergency Coordinator (EC) monitored the radar and the NWS Chatroom keeping an eye on the county until any threat was over in the first early hours in the morning. Because no warning was issued, a SKYWARN net was not activated. LeeCARES EC participated, however, as back up net control in the Williamson County SKYWARN net for the entire course of the net, until it was deactivated at 0115.