Hurricane Watch Net, WX4NHC Secure After Katrina Comes Ashore
in Florida
 The projected path of Hurricane Katrina as of 1500 UTC August
26. |
NEWINGTON, CT, Aug 26, 2005--The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) on 14.325 MHz and WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center (NHC)
secured operations at 0330 UTC after Hurricane Katrina made landfall on
the Southern Florida coast at around 2300 UTC August 25. The National Hurricane Center says Katrina--still a Category 1 storm with sustained winds of 80--is
getting better organized over the eastern Gulf of Mexico as it moves away from
the Florida peninsula. Flooding remains a threat for extreme Southern Florida. The
hurricane came ashore between Hallandale Beach and North Miami Beach.
HWN Assistant Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, says before
the net started up at 1900 UTC, band conditions on 20 meters were a big
concern, "On Wednesday, there were some solar flares and a major geomagnetic
storm, which basically killed the 20-meter band for the majority of the day,"
he noted. "Thankfully the band was in better condition than expected. Even
with lots of band fading, members of the Hurricane Watch Net were able to
rotate for the changing band conditions."
Graves says the HWN and WX4NHC anticipate another
activation for Hurricane Katrina "perhaps as early as Sunday afternoon." As of
1500 UTC today, the storm was 45 miles northwest of Key West and some 75 miles
south-southwest of Naples. The storm is moving toward the west at nearly 7 MPH.
Katrina is forecast to become a Category 2 hurricane by Saturday, and it could
make landfall again on the Florida Panhandle August 29.
Graves says that because the warm waters of the Gulf of
Mexico fuel tropical cyclones, interests along the central Gulf Coast should keep a close eye on the track of Katrina.
Amateur Radio Emergency Service teams in Southern Florida
activated as Katrina approached. ARRL Southern Florida Section Section
Emergency Coordinator Jeff Beals, WA4AW, reports that emergency coordinators in
several counties in his section fielded emergency operations in response to the
hurricane, which left thousands without power. Emergency Operations Centers
(EOCs) in Martin, Palm Beach, Broward and Miami-Dade. In addition, resource
nets and tactical nets were in operation in several areas. ARES members were
covering shelters and special care units as well. Beals says the Southern
Florida ARES Net held two special sessions August 25, with Thom Street, N5KFR,
as net control. "Should relief operators be needed in the affected counties,
requests will be handled through the SEC," Beals added.
When in operation, the HWN invites stations in storm-affected
areas to check in with reports of real-time weather data and any storm damage.
During the hurricane season, the HWN and WX4NHC cooperate to relay direct storm
weather observations and other pertinent information to the NHC. There, forecasters
use the Amateur Radio reports to help them predict a storm's behavior. Graves notes that the HWN Web site includes up-to-date advisories
and tracking information, including live satellite imagery.
Graves pointed out that the number of named storms so far
this hurricane season equals all of last season's count. "Given the extended
forecast of 20 to 21 named storms by NOAA and Dr Bill Gray, respectively, and
that we are just now getting into the heart of hurricane season, we could
certainly reach those numbers," he remarked. "Nevertheless, this will be a
season to remember."
Page last modified: 12:43 PM, 26 Aug 2005 ET
Page author: awextra@arrl.org
Copyright © 2005, American Radio Relay League, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
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