Martin County Skywarn

07/21/2025

06/29/2025

06/28/2025

06/24/2025

Could happen here.

This was taken today in Siesta Key, Florida. People playing volleyball during a storm with lightning nearby.

Also today, just up the coast, 4 people were under a cabana on Holmes Beach when it was struck by lightning. One person was transported to the hospital. This past Saturday, lightning struck a Tiki Hut on Marco Island with 4 women underneath. 3 were transported to the hospital. On Friday, 3 people were struck by lightning in New Smyrna Beach. One of those, a 29-year-old man from Colorado on his honeymoon, was killed.

All of these incidents have happened in just the past 4 days. Remember, "when thunder roars, go indoors." If you hear thunder, you are close enough to potentially get struck. Summer just started, we have many weeks and months ahead of Florida lightning. Please, please be safe everyone.

06/23/2025

Pay attention to these symptoms.

Hopefully, this isn't something you have to concern yourself with. But just in case...

06/21/2025

Let’s learn how to be safe. Read on.

🌀 The storm may be over, but danger isn’t. Power out? Roads flooded? Water unsafe to drink?
➡️ Join us for one of our three sessions on July 24 as we talk about recovery after the storm.
🖱️ Register for a FREE training session at weather.gov/jax/FloridaTropicalTrainingWeek2025
📌

06/19/2025

Interesting.

☀️ You may not have noticed, but the exact date and time that the summer solstice occurs changes year to year. In simple terms, it has to do with how the Gregorian calendar interacts with Earth's orbit relative to the seasonal cycle and its tilt. This year the solstice occurs on June 20th at 8:41 PM MDT. It shifts between June 20th, June 21st, and rarely June 22nd. In Boise, daylight on June 20th will be longer than June 21st by a single second. The next occurrence of a June 22nd solstice isn't until 2203. Here is a non-astronomer's explanation:

There are 365.2422 days in a tropical year (length of the seasonal cycle which is related to Earth's tilt) compared to 365 days in a Gregorian year. That almost 1/4 of a day decimal would normally mean seasons shift year to year, and they do: which is why we have a leap year every 4 years. The summer solstice is defined as the moment at which Earth's tilt in a hemisphere is most inclined towards the Sun. The summer solstice occurs once every tropical year because of its relation to Earth's tilt. So because of the slight difference between a tropical and Gregorian year, the solstice happens 0.2422 days later each year, until a leap year's extra day in February causes it to happen a day earlier.

However, because 0.2422 is not exactly 1/4 there are additional leap year rules to try to help correct the Gregorian calendar. So we skip leap years that are divisible by 100, unless they are also divisible by 400. Even this leaves us with a 0.0003 day difference between a tropical year and the average Gregorian year. So in roughly 3,300 years we'll have an extra day to worry about.

Anyhow that's a lot for a Sunday, Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there!

06/03/2025

The Hurricane Watch Net will host a two-day on-air special event to celebrate its 60th anniversary this week:

Net control stations, located across the United States, will all operate using the callsign WX5HWN on or near 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz at the following times:

▪️Sat, June 7: 10:00 AM to 10:00 PM EDT (1400 – 0100 UTC)
▪️Sun, June 8: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM EDT (1400 – 2100 UTC) Note: Operations on 7.268 MHz will conclude at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC)

MORE➡️ tinyurl.com/yvjrvz5d

05/25/2025

https://climatecenter.fsu.edu/images/droughtmonitor/FLDrought5-20-2025.jpg

05/13/2025

Catch the full moon if you can. Please remember to report your location’s rain on the CoCoRaHs website tomorrow morning.

Tonight, May 12, the sky will be illuminated by the Full Flower Moon, a name rooted in Native American tradition that reflects the seasonal bloom of wildflowers during this time of year. As Earth's natural satellite reaches its full phase, it will appear strikingly bright and round, rising just after sunset and offering a perfect opportunity for stargazers and photographers alike. This lunar event not only marks the final full moon of spring but also invites a moment of reflection beneath its glowing presence—reminding us of the rhythms of nature and the silent beauty that unfolds above us each month.

More details/photos: https://www.beautyofplanet.com/the-2025-full-flower-moon-rises-tonight-heres-how-to-see-it/

05/09/2025

Hope to see you there.

04/26/2025

Keep looking up.

Yes! On **April 27, 2025**, Venus will shine at its **greatest brilliancy**, reaching a dazzling magnitude of **–4.7** in the morning sky. This marks a spectacular moment in its cycle, as it transitions from the evening sky after its **inferior conjunction on March 23, 2025**, emerging as the brightest celestial object after the Sun and Moon.

At this peak brightness, Venus will be visible **well before sunrise**, dominating the **eastern horizon**. Even in the growing dawn light, its brilliance will be unmistakable. Nearby, **Saturn and Mercury** will also be present, though they may be harder to spot in the bright morning twilight.

This event is a perfect opportunity for **stargazers and astrophotographers** to capture Venus at its most radiant. If you're planning to observe, consider using **binoculars or a telescope** to appreciate its crescent phase, which contributes to its intense luminosity.

Would you like tips on the best times and locations for viewing this celestial spectacle