The North Central Skywarn Operations Emergency Net is activated upon direct request by the National Weather Service in Cleveland, Ohio, whenever severe weather approaches our area, which consists of the counties of Lorain, Huron, Erie, and Cuyahoga in Ohio.

The net is chartered with the responsibility of providing the National Weather Service, Cleveland Office, with accurate and timely reports from spotters in our area, or relays of reports on conditions in outlying areas. The NCOS area is of key importance in gathering information from counties to our west and southwest. In either case, the goal is to provide the National Weather Service with information required to establish the proper Watches and Warnings.

A net control may be established at a home station until the weather situation threatens life and limb, or the continued operation of that station is jeopardized. Net control should then be moved to, or at least backed up by, a station located at one of the EMA Communications Centers, where radar pictures, emergency power, and other resources are available. Other county EOCs may also be activated.

Mobile spotting units can elect to go to areas lacking in base station reports, or where high visibility vantage points can be established - e.g., high elevation, or flat areas. Mobile units with experienced spotters can also go to check damage reports, etc. Often the damage can be surveyed and isolated to straight-line or rotational type winds, and trees that have been toppled can be assessed as healthy or diseased. The NWS is interested in this type of information.

The amateur radio community is committed to this important public service function, and with your help the North Central Skywarn Operations Emergency Net program will continue to provide this well into the future.

Whenever severe weather is forecast for our area, we ask that you begin to monitor 146.625 MHz.

Prior to the arrival of the threatening storms, monitor repeaters in the outlying areas from where the storms are approaching, and relay any traffic of importance to 146.625 or contact the National Weather Service direct.

As severe weather approaches, a Skywarn Net Control station will activate the North Central Skywarn Operations Emergency Net. We ask that you limit your reports to less than 15 seconds, and only the type of info requested by Net Control.

The Net Control sets the net states and allows informal transactions when deemed prudent, and courteously dismisses unnecessary trafic when the situation requires otherwise. ALL TRAFFIC should be cleared through Net Control first.

If available, others can monitor other counties' activities, or become mobile spotters. Remember, personal safety is of primary importance; be prepared to take cover if necessary.

When a tornado warning has been issued, after a confirmed sighting of a tornado or funnel cloud aloft, the net state will be upgraded. ONLY reports of funnel clouds, wall clouds, rotation, touchdowns, or damage from the above, are to be made or relayed.

When relaying reports of severe weather or storm damage from other nets, it is important that we know the actual time that the incident occurred. Please request this information from the originating station.