SB SPCL @ ARL $ARLX011
ARLX011 Hurricane Watch Net Activating for Hermine, Hawaii Dodges Madeline,
SKYWARN Eyeing Lester
ZCZC AX11
QST de W1AW
Special Bulletin 11 ARLX011
> From ARRL Headquarters
Newington CT September 1, 2016
To all radio amateurs
SB SPCL ARL ARLX011
ARLX011 Hurricane Watch Net Activating for Hermine, Hawaii Dodges Madeline,
SKYWARN Eyeing Lester
The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has announced plans to activate for Tropical
Storm Hermine at 1400 UTC. The storm is expected to develop into a hurricane
before making landfall on Florida's Gulf Coast. The net typically operates on
14.325 MHz until nightfall, then moves 7.268 MHz for the remainder of the
evening. Given current band conditions, however, the HWN will be active on both
frequencies simultaneously. The net will remain in operation until further
notice, HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said.
"It seems we've been tracking this system, which began as a tropical
disturbance, for nearly 2 weeks," Graves said. "Yesterday, this system finally
became Tropical Storm Hermine. It is expected to make landfall late Thursday
evening or early Friday morning as a Category 1 Hurricane somewhere between
Panama City Beach and Cedar Key, Florida...of course, this could change."
As of 1200 UTC, Hermine was reported strengthening. It's located about 235
miles west-southwest of Tampa with maximum sustained winds of 65 MPH, moving
north-northeast at 12 MPH. A Hurricane Warning is in effect from the Suwannee
River to Mexico Beach. The NWS said interests along the US East Coast should
monitor the progress of this system.
Graves said the HWN would be available to provide back-up communication to
entities such as emergency operations centers and Red Cross offices in the
affected area. "We will also be interested to collect and report significant
damage assessment data to FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane
Center," he added.
Florida's Emergency Operations Center is at full activation, and evacuation
shelters are on standby.
SKYWARN Tracking Pacific Hurricane Lester
ARRL Pacific Section Emergency Coordinator Clement Jung, KH7HO, said the
National Weather Service (NWS) will activate SKYWARN for Hurricane Lester at
1800 UTC on Saturday, September 3, continuing
until midnight on Sunday, September 4. All four Amateur Radio Emergency Service
(ARES) districts on the Big Island of Hawaii remain in active status for
Hurricane Lester, to support each other and served agencies. KH6SW remains on
the air from the NWS Honolulu Forecast Office on HF, VHF, and UHF.
The NWS reports that a weakening Madeline, now a tropical storm, was passing
"well south of the Big Island," with maximum sustained winds of 50 MPH, but the
storm was dumping a lot of rain on the Big Island, and a flood advisory was in
effect for some areas. Predictions call for up to 10 inches of rain, and
possibly more.
Hurricane Lester, now a Category 2 storm, continues its westward movement
toward the Hawaiian Islands. As of 0900 UTC, Lester was some 800 miles east of
Hilo and 1030 miles east of Honolulu, boasting maximum sustained winds of 110
MPH. The storm is moving at 14 MPH. Some weakening was forecast through late
Friday. No watches or warnings are in effect.
ARES teams remain ready to initiate local repeater nets, holding 146.52 MHz
simplex in reserve in case repeaters go down. Plans call for using HF (7.180
and 3.975 MHz) to relay traffic via Auxiliary Communications Service (ACS) nets
to the Hawaii County Civil Defense Agency Emergency Operations Center (EOC).
SKYWARN traffic will use Fldigi MT63 1KL or voice on 7.080 MHz (USB), with
3.888 MHz (LSB) as an alternate frequency, and 7.095 MHz available to support
informal and tactical traffic.
Public schools in Hawaii remained closed on September 1, and Hawaii Gov David
Inge has urged residents of the Big Island to take steps to protect people and
property. Some government offices and businesses also have closed. A dozen
schools have been designated to serve as emergency evacuation shelters.
NNNN
/EX
)\/(ark
Always Mount a Scratch Monkey
... We must be governed by reason, not ruled by religion.
---
* Origin: (1:3634/12.73)
|
