Weather squadron strives to keep agencies alerted to conditions

  • Published
  • By Staff Sgt. Nathan L. Hutchings II
  • 46th Weather Squadron
EGLIN AIR FORCE BASE, Fla. --  Severe weather conditions like thunderstorms and tropical storms are extremely hazardous to Eglin resources and personnel. They pose potentially life threatening hazards and directly affect operations. 

Unlike the National Weather Service that is responsible for issuing large scale weather warnings, watches and advisories, the 46th Weather Squadron issues site specific watch, warnings and advisories tailored to the specific needs and location of the unit. The 46th Weather Squadron monitors for these conditions and advises base agencies when the conditions are occurring or forecast to occur. They do this by issuing advisories, watches or warnings to supported agencies. 

Weather Advisory: A special notice that alerts agencies to weather conditions that affect their operations. 

Weather Watch: A special notice of forecasted severe weather phenomena that alerts supported agencies to the potential for mission impacting severe weather conditions. 

Weather Warning: A weather warning is a special notice provided to supported agencies that alerts them to weather conditions of such intensity as to pose a hazard to life or property.

At Eglin, the 46th WS provides detailed weather service, information and briefings 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This support is available to all wings, flying squadrons and base tenant units in order to protect as well as meet unit missions and support and enhance research, development, test and evaluation activities. This is a challenging mission considering the depth and span of Eglin, which covers a 134,000-square mile complex of land and water.

In the event of severe weather, the 46 WS will activate the Severe Weather Action Team. The Severe Weather Action Team is comprised of a minimum of two individuals, the forecaster shift team lead and one other forecast technician or qualified staff member. This team works to assess the severe threat and work the event. Severe weather striking Eglin is a distinct possibility with the most likely types of severe weather ranging from thunderstorms to tropical storms. 

Due to the extremely large size of the Eglin Land Range Complex, subdivisions are used to distinguish those portions that are under the threat of hazardous weather. The Eglin Range Complex is divided into two primary halves, Eglin East and Eglin West. This division is along Highway 85 which bisects the Eglin Range Complex along an approximate north/south axis. Areas/ranges/camps/sites to the west of Highway 85 lie in Eglin West and those to the east of Highway 85 comprise Eglin East. A further division is used to specify Eglin Main and Duke Field.

Within the Eglin East complex, the 20th Space Control Squadron resides at site C-6. As one of the tenant units within the Eglin complex, the 20th SPCS is a vital asset supported by the 46th WS. The 20th SPCS mission is to detect, track, identify and report near earth and deep space objects in earth's orbit and provide space object identification data in support of United States Strategic Command's space control mission. On the western portion of the Eglin complex is site B-6, also known as Camp Rudder. Camp Rudder is host to the Army 6th Range Training Battalion. The 6th RTB conducts the final phase of the U.S. Army Ranger Course. Its mission at Eglin is to expose Ranger students to a fast-paced, 18-day field training exercise including airborne and helicopter assaults, small boat operations, river crossings and swamp crossings. 

The 46th WS is also responsible for issuing watches, warnings or advisories for Duke Field, which hosts the 919th Special Operations Wing and the 911th Special Operations Squadron. The 911th conducts missions geared to fly low and penetrate into hostile territory mostly at night while crews use the enhancement of night vision goggles. 

Due to the diverse nature of the many units and the broad spectrum of their missions, the watch/warning/advisory criteria for the Eglin East and West complex, including Duke Field are very in depth.