Narrative:

Lots of severe WX from south florida to the carolinas. We were deviating around very large thunderstorms and were right of intended course due to WX deviations. The ZJX controller cleared us direct to mille intersection, direct chs. Prior to reaching mille, the controller said we were approaching a warning area and issued a vector that would have put us in a very large thunderstorm. We advised the controller that we were unable to accept that turn due to WX. He then said, 'exercising your emergency authority/authorized, squawk 7700 and continue your present course.' when clear of the thunderstorm. We advised the controller and he issued us an intersecting vector to rejoin the airway and when out of the warning area, he reissued us our original transponder code. Supplemental information from acn 622895: many mins later when we were abeam mille we were told to fly a 010 degree heading, we told ATC 'unable due to WX.' a cell was right over mille with an overhang extending about 10 M I to the east. The cell was large, painting well and I would expect ATC to easily see the same. The following is the exact conversation: ATC: 'company number, fly heading 010 degrees.' company: 'unable due to WX.' ATC: 'squawk 7700, exercise emergency authority/authorized, I will provide TA's.'

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Original NASA ASRS Text

Title: B737-700 CREW DEVIATING AROUND WX WAS REQUIRED TO DECLARE AN EMER TO AVOID BEING VECTORED INTO A TSTM.

Narrative: LOTS OF SEVERE WX FROM S FLORIDA TO THE CAROLINAS. WE WERE DEVIATING AROUND VERY LARGE TSTMS AND WERE R OF INTENDED COURSE DUE TO WX DEVS. THE ZJX CTLR CLRED US DIRECT TO MILLE INTXN, DIRECT CHS. PRIOR TO REACHING MILLE, THE CTLR SAID WE WERE APCHING A WARNING AREA AND ISSUED A VECTOR THAT WOULD HAVE PUT US IN A VERY LARGE TSTM. WE ADVISED THE CTLR THAT WE WERE UNABLE TO ACCEPT THAT TURN DUE TO WX. HE THEN SAID, 'EXERCISING YOUR EMER AUTH, SQUAWK 7700 AND CONTINUE YOUR PRESENT COURSE.' WHEN CLR OF THE TSTM. WE ADVISED THE CTLR AND HE ISSUED US AN INTERSECTING VECTOR TO REJOIN THE AIRWAY AND WHEN OUT OF THE WARNING AREA, HE REISSUED US OUR ORIGINAL XPONDER CODE. SUPPLEMENTAL INFO FROM ACN 622895: MANY MINS LATER WHEN WE WERE ABEAM MILLE WE WERE TOLD TO FLY A 010 DEG HDG, WE TOLD ATC 'UNABLE DUE TO WX.' A CELL WAS RIGHT OVER MILLE WITH AN OVERHANG EXTENDING ABOUT 10 M I TO THE E. THE CELL WAS LARGE, PAINTING WELL AND I WOULD EXPECT ATC TO EASILY SEE THE SAME. THE FOLLOWING IS THE EXACT CONVERSATION: ATC: 'COMPANY NUMBER, FLY HDG 010 DEGS.' COMPANY: 'UNABLE DUE TO WX.' ATC: 'SQUAWK 7700, EXERCISE EMER AUTH, I WILL PROVIDE TA'S.'

Data retrieved from NASA's ASRS site as of July 2007 and automatically converted to unabbreviated mixed upper/lowercase text. This report is for informational purposes with no guarantee of accuracy. See NASA's ASRS site for official report.