Dear W3ACH Members and Friends,
After carefully monitoring the latest weather forecasts from the National Weather Service and or regional meteorological services. we have made the difficult but necessary decision to cancel our planned Winter Field Day operations at Fort Loudon and our Saturday breakfast gathering at 30 West Family Restaurant. The safety and wellbeing of our members must come first, and the weather conditions forecast for this weekend pose serious risks that we cannot responsibly ignore.
WHAT'S CANCELED:
• Winter Field Day Operations at Fort Loudon Historic Site (Saturday, January 24 - Sunday, January 25, 2026)
• Saturday Morning Breakfast at 30 West Family Restaurant (Saturday, January 24 at 7:00 AM)
• All associated setup and teardown activities
The National Weather Service has issued a Winter Storm Watch for central Pennsylvania, effective from Saturday evening at 7:00 PM through Monday afternoon at 1:00 PM. Current forecasts from multiple meteorological sources predict dangerous conditions throughout the weekend:
• Heavy Snowfall: 8-12 inches expected across south-central Pennsylvania, with locally higher amounts possible
• Extreme Cold: Temperatures in the single digits to lower teens during the storm, and dangerous wind chills: Between -5°F and -15°F Saturday morning, with continued sub-zero wind chills throughout the weekend
Snow begins Saturday evening and continues through Monday morning, creating treacherous road conditions
OPERATE FROM HOME INSTEAD:
While our group Winter Field Day operations at Fort Loudon are canceled due to the incoming winter storm, Winter Field Day itself is still very much on. Winter Field Day is designed from the ground up to encourage safe, independent operation, and operating from home is very much allowed just like Summer Field Day!
Members are welcome and encouraged to participate from their own stations, whether that’s from home or any safe location of their choosing. Operating from home still counts fully toward Winter Field Day participation and is a great way to stay involved while avoiding hazardous travel and exposure to extreme cold. We know it’s disappointing not to gather in person, but safety always comes first. Winter Field Day will still be there, the bands will still be open, and we’ll have plenty of chances to get back together later in the year with other events!
We're disappointed to cancel our group Winter Field Day operations, but this is the right decision for our members safety. We look forward to gathering for upcoming club activities
If you have questions about this cancellation or need any other details, please reach out to club leadership. Monitor our website for any additional updates.
