THE
                      __      __       __  _____
/\  \  /\  / /\ \  / |__ |   |__ |\ | |      |   |__|  /\
\/   \/  \/ /--\ \/  |__ |__ |__ | \| |__]   |   |  |  \/

Volume 4 Issue 2
February 1999

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                        LA NIÑA
*****************************************************************
        La Niña is identified by an unusually cold ocean 
temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, which is a big contrast 
to El Niño of last year, which is identified by unusually warm 
ocean temperatures in  the Equatorial Pacific. In fact La Niña 
is the opposite of El Niño in many respects. In taking a look 
at La Niña it might help us to review El Niño. 
        El Niño is characterized by a large scale weakening of 
the trade winds and warming of the surface layers in the eastern 
and central equatorial Pacific Ocean. El Niño events occur 
irregularly at intervals of 2-7 years, although the average is 
about once every 3-4 years. They typically last 12-18 months, 
and are accompanied by swings in the Southern Oscillation , an 
interannual see-saw in tropical sea level pressure between the 
eastern and western hemispheres. When El Niño is active an 
unusually high atmospheric sea level pressures develop in the 
western tropical Pacific and Indian Ocean regions, and 
unusually low sea level pressures develop in the southeastern 
tropical Pacific. Southern Oscillation  tendencies for 
unusually low pressures west of the date line and high 
pressures east of the date line have also been linked to 
periods of anomalously cold equatorial Pacific sea surface 
temperatures which we referred to as La Niña.
        The Southern Oscillation Index, defined as the 
normalized difference in surface pressure between Tahiti, 
French Polynesia and Darwin, Australia is a measure of the 
strength of the trade winds, which have a component of flow 
from regions of high to low pressure. High Southern Oscillation 
Index (large pressure difference) is associated with stronger 
than normal trade winds and La Niña conditions, and low 
Southern Oscillation Index (smaller pressure difference) is 
associated with weaker than normal trade winds and El Niño 
conditions. The terms ENSO and ENSO cycle are used to describe 
the full range of variability observed in the Southern 
Oscillation Index, including both El Niño and La Niña events. 
        So what does all this mean to us? Well we already know 
what El Niño did, so let look at what La Niña has in store for 
us and recap what it has already shown us.
        In the U.S., winter temperatures are warmer than normal 
in the Southeast, and cooler than normal in the Northwest. I 
believe most of us have had a conversation  this January where 
we have made note of how wet/warm and spring like the weather 
has been. This last week of January feels more like South 
Florida than North Georgia. With the exception of a cold snap 
early this year where it reached the single digit number, we 
have nearly escaped any sign of winter. A dangerous January also 
with a all time high in the number of January tornadoes in the US. 
This brings me to the main reason for this article is we all 
need to be alert to changing weather this spring.
        La Niña has/will create warmer weather in the South 
which leads to more energy in the atmosphere, these conditions 
make hail, strong wind, and tornado formation more likely. This 
is why we support the Skywarn certification program. Amateur 
Radio Operators can serve your community by  helping neighbors 
and government agencies such as “the National Weather Service, 
FEMA, and local Emergency Management Agency (EMA)”.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                        BACKYARD NEWS
*****************************************************************
        The North Georgia ARC has new call is W4QQ. The old call 
W4PYM call its still with the college and Buck (KC4GCK) is the 
present trustee.
        In mid January the NWS Forecast Office in Peachtree City 
introduced its new NOAA Weather Radio System, called NOAA weather 
RADIO 2000. The new system will be completely automated and will 
be able to do forecasts and warnings faster than the older radio 
transmitters. The  computer generated voice might take some 
getting used to.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                        HAM OF THE MONTH
*****************************************************************
        Ham of the month is William D. Rodgers. We all know him 
as Dennis KA4VHP. Dennis move into the Talking Rock community 
about a year ago, although they still have a house in Atlanta. 
Dennis has been a great help with the local repeater and when 
the repeater went down 01/11/99, Dennis came to the rescue the 
following Wednesday along with his brother Steve KE4GBR and 
cousin Jimmy. Dennis has an application to join the club and we 
will be looking forward to him becoming an official EARS member.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                         THE WAVELENGTH
*****************************************************************
Executive Editor: 
David A. Barlitt KF4AWU
Contributors:
Dot Beam K4PPS,
Marsha Rodgers KG4AHV
____________________________________
 
Ellijay Amateur Radio Society, Inc.
President:
Jack Bramblett K4IVC
Vice-President:
Reed Krenn WW3A
Secretary/Treasurer:
David A. Barlitt KF4AWU
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                           SKYWARN
*****************************************************************
Basic Skywarn Class meet January 21 at Cherokee County Sequoyah 
Regional Library 116 Brown Industrial Pkwy. Canton, GA. In 
attendance was a large crowed from Cherokee county and our own 
Vice-President Reed Krenn WW3A plus Reed's wife Doris KD4ZZT. 
Mr. Barry Gooden of the National Weather Service conducting the 
class, which included video  from Texas and slides of various 
cold formations. The class started at 6:30 and ended at 
9:00 p.m. even though they had not completely finished. Advanced 
Class February 9 at 6:30 p.m. - At same location. For info call 
Al Westbrook    Ph # (770) 736-2840
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                 LA NIÑA and EL NIÑO - WHY?
*****************************************************************
        El Niño was originally coined by fishermen off the coast 
of South America as the appearance of unusually warm water in the 
Pacific ocean, occurring near the beginning of the year. El Niño 
means The Little Boy or Christ child in Spanish. This name was 
used for the tendency of the phenomenon to arrive around 
Christmas. La Niña means The Little Girl. La Niña is sometimes 
called El Viejo, anti-El Niño, or simply "a cold event" or "a 
cold episode".  The terms La Niña, ENSO cold event, or cold 
phase of ENSO are used interchangeably to describe those times 
of cold eastern and central equatorial Pacific SST anomalies.  
This has brought  confusion to the use of the terms El Niño, 
La Niña and ENSO by both the scientific community and the 
general public.
        The terms "El Viejo" and "anti-El Niño" have also been 
applied to the cold phase of ENSO. However, these terms are 
used less frequently, as the term La Niña has gained favor. 
+++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
        This Month's Birthdays/Anniversaries & Ham Fests
*****************************************************************
This Month's Birthdays are:
February 16     Hugh Beam W4HFB

This Month's Anniversaries  are:                  
none    

If your birthday or anniversary is not on the list for Feb. it is 
because I have no record of it!
Swap Shop list it here!!! 

                                     
HAM Fests               
February 6 + Charleston ARS, N. Charleston, SC
February 6-7 * SFL Section Convention 
("Tropical Hamboree"), Miami, FL                
February 12-14 * N. Fl, Convention, Orlando, Fl 
February 20 + Hernando Co ARA, Spring Hill, FL
February 20-21+ Sarasota ARA, Sarasota, FL
Feb. 21+ Briarpatch & Foothills ARC Elkin NC
February 27 + Dalton ARC, Dalton, GA
See Wanye W4YNE for tickets/info on Dalton
++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++
                        VE Corner       
******************************************************************
        The VE Team meet January 9, and had one attendee take and 
pass his advanced test. 
        The one attendee was not planning to take test but had 
come to borrow so media material to teach Ham Radio class Epworth. 
The VE team will be administering the exams when the class 
concludes. Next regular exam is February 6  at 1:00 PM in the 
Gilmer library
^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^^
------------------------------------------------------------------
Ellijay Amateur Radio Society, Inc.
...................................
C/O David Barlitt
50 Jones Road
Ellijay, Georgia
30540
...................................
Phone: 706-273-3559
Fax: 706-635-3559
mailto:w4hhh@qsl.net
...................................
This News Letter was sent through the EARS mailing list.
To subscribe or unsubscribe go to:
URL-> http://www.qsl.net/w4hhh/list.html