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Amateur Radio Assists with Storms in the US Northeast Sept 2025

From the ARRL Letter

 

Amateur radio volunteers serving in the ® (ARES®) and the National Weather Service SKYWARN® program were active over the weekend. They were serving their communities in New England as tornado-warned storms moved across New York, Connecticut, and Massachusetts. Five EF1 tornadoes struck the central Massachusetts communities of Paxton, Holden, Berlin and Stow.

 

A squall line of severe thunderstorms that would eventually have embedded tornadoes in central Massachusetts swept across the region. SKYWARN nets activated on repeaters across the area. Reports came in rapidly of downed trees and wires, as well as hail up to ¾” in diameter in western Massachusetts, with radio amateurs sharing critical damage reports from this area. In addition, reports of damage were received in all of the tornado path areas in near real time and were shared with the National Weather Service, Boston / Norton Weather Forecast Office, , amateur radio team direct via repeaters, using various applications, email, social media that the amateur radio team utilizes.

 

“It had been a below normal 2025 severe weather season with only one large-scale severe weather event [in July] across Rhode Island and southeastern Massachusetts,” said Rob Macedo, KD1CY, ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator and SKYWARN Coordinator. “That all changed on September 6th.”

 

Southern New England averages 2 tornadoes per year. The 6 states of New England average 8 tornadoes per year and there had been none in 2025 until Saturday, 9/6, when 2/3 of the average yearly total occurred. This outbreak also put southern New England above average for tornadoes in the 2025 season.

 

All active SKYWARN nets were secured around 6:30 PM Saturday. Andrew Loconto, Lead Meteorologist NWS Norton MA, commented, “Thanks to the entire team for all the reports today!” A complete summary of the severe weather in southern New England can be seen on the .
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ARRL AND RRI Reach Agreement. August 2025

Finally some collaboration. Below is information from the ARRL letter

ARRL and Radio Relay International (RRI) have signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU). The formal agreement, signed by ARRL President Rick Roderick, K5UR, and RRI Board Chairman James Wades, WB8SIW, outlines the value the organizations find in cooperation.

 

Radio Relay International® (RRI) was established in 2016 to enhance and promote effective nationwide messaging and emergency communications capabilities. Since its founding, RRI has developed an extensive work product consisting of a wide variety of training programs, a tested and evolved National Response Plan, and communications facilities designed to better prepare radio amateurs to serve their community in time of emergency. Central to these goals has been modernization of the NTS. Both ARRL and RRI recognize the importance of effective public service and emergency communications, including the shared goal of modernizing and enhancing the National Traffic System. “Coordination between our two organizations will prevent duplication of efforts and ensure that both the public and emergency services agencies have access to effective NTS disaster communications facilities,” said Wades, who is also RRI’s Emergency Management Director.

 

The National Traffic System, created by ARRL in 1949, is a network of trained amateur radio operators who ensure the rapid transmission and relay of messages, or “traffic.” In addition to basic voice and Morse code, or “CW,” communications networks, the NTS has recently been modernized through the addition of the Digital Traffic Network, as well as interoperable messaging gateways and specialized software templates developed in association with the Winlink Development Team, which operates an international radio email service well-suited to disaster response.

 

“Through last year’s hurricanes and the recent devastating floods in Texas, we’re seeing amateur radio continue to be a vital tool before and during times of crisis,” said ARRL Director of Emergency Management Josh Johnston, KE5MHV. “Amateur radio works When All Else Fails®, and traffic handling is an important part of that,” he said. Future plans for the improvement of NTS include the development of additional robust HF digital networks, improved interoperability with local and state emergency communications organizations, and continued development of local and regional VHF and UHF digital “packet radio” network capabilities. Coordination between RRI and ARRL will play an important role in achieving these goals.