NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 12, 2004--Florida radio amateurs are arranging to have special HF nets on the air to support ARES activations as Hurricane Charley approaches the US coast. Southern Florida Section Emergency Coordinator Jim Goldsberry, KD4GR, says a special session of the South Florida ARES Net (SFAN) will follow the Florida Midday Traffic Net (FMTN) on 7242 kHz at approximately 1615 UTC. As Hurricane Charley threatens Cuba and South Florida after skirting the southern edge of Jamaica Wednesday, the Hurricane Watch Net resumed operation on 14.325 MHz at 1100 UTC today after securing the net at 0115 UTC.
"Our mission is to alert inhabitants of the western third
of Cuba as the hurricane is forecast for landfall on that island late today,
followed by close passage near the lower Florida Keys," said HWN Manager Mike
Pilgrim, K5MP. The government of Cuba has issued a hurricane warning for several
western provinces. Pilgrim says that given the storm's possible path into
Florida, the net may need to remain in continuous operation through August 14 "at
a minimum."
 The projected track of Hurricane Charley. |
In Cuba, International Amateur Radio Union Region 2 Area C Emergency Coordinator Arnie Coro, CO2KK, reports amateurs there already have activated emergency nets and have been in contact with the HWN. "I expect that we can achieve the same degree of cooperation on this weather-related emergency as we have been able to achieve in the past," he said. Emergency nets in Cuba are operating LSB between 7040 and 7090 kHz and also on 7110 kHz during daylight hours. Nighttime operations will shift to between 3710 and 3750 kHz.
Still a Category 1 storm, Charley has gained some strength and now packs sustained winds of 90 MPH with higher gusts. As of 1500 UTC, Hurricane Charley was 25 miles north of Grand Cayman moving northwesterly at around 17 MPH. Forecasters predict a turn to the north-northwest later today. A hurricane warning remains in effect for the Florida Keys from the Dry Tortugas to the Seven Mile Bridge and for the southwest Florida coast from East Cape Sable to Bonita Beach. National Hurricane Center (NHC) forecasters say the warning will likely be extended northward later today or tonight.
The NHC says large, dangerous battering waves will accompany Charley into the Cayman Islands later today. Storm surges of 2 to 4 feet are expected in the Florida Keys and 6 to 10 feet along Florida's southwestern coastline. In addition, the hurricane could generate 4 to 8 inches of rain, resulting in flash floods and mudslides.
The HWN activated Wednesday afternoon and immediately began to gather ground-level weather data amateur stations in Jamaica for relay to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center (NHC) in Miami. WX4NHC activated operations Wednesday in concert with the HWN. Amateur Radio Coordinator John McHugh, K4AG, said the operation was expected to continue through August 13, as Charley approaches the US.
During hurricane emergencies trained HWN members provide
essential communication support to WX4NHC, which disseminates storm updates via
the net. The HWN also collects observed or measured weather data and post-storm
damage reports via Amateur Radio in the affected areas and relays that
information to forecasters via WX4NHC, which also gathers similar data via the
Internet from non-Amateur Radio
sources. The ground-level weather data assists NHC forecasters in predicting a
storm's path and behavior.
 The projected track of Tropical Storm Bonnie. |
Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Bonnie was reported making landfall in Apalachicola, in the Florida Panhandle, and a tropical storm warning remains in effect from Destin to the mouth of the Suwannee River. With maximum sustained winds near 50 MPH, Bonnie is accelerating and moving northeasterly at near 28 MPH, but the storm is expected to weaken over the next 24 hours. Dangerous battering waves and coastal storm surge flooding of 2 to 5 feet above normal accompanied Bonnie's arrival. Additional rainfall of 4 to 6 inches or more is forecast in association with the tropical storm, and isolated tornadoes are possible.
North Carolina already is preparing for anticipated heavy rainfall from the two storms. ARRL North Carolina Section Manager John Covington, W4CC, said North Carolina Emergency Management was expected to activate its Eastern Branch Office emergency operations center today. "The Amateur Radio station at the Eastern Branch Office will be staffed, but no word yet whether the Tar Heel Emergency Net will be activated beyond its regular schedule," Covington told ARRL. "It's too early to tell if it will be needed. We are alert, aware and preparing, just in case."
The American Red Cross was expected to open five
special-needs shelters in the Miami area. The Salvation Army has announced it's preparing for both Bonnie and
Charlie with a three-front disaster response in Florida. The Salvation
Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN)
announced Wednesday that it would activate on 14.265 MHz when needed to assist
in providing emergency communication into the affected area as well as to
handle health-and-welfare inquiries.
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