Hello to all..

**VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center, will activate starting at 8 PM EDT Tuesday Evening 9/19/17 through late Wednesday Night for Hurricane Maria and impact to Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands and surrounding areas over this time period. Hurricane Jose impacts as a tropical storm to be handled by the regional SKYWARN team in Southern New England.**

Here are the VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Plans for Hurricane Maria as of 9/19/17 at 715 PM EDT/2315 UTC and commentary on Hurricane Jose and impacts on the Northeast US Coast:

The VoIP Hurricane Net was active Monday from late morning until late evening and gathered numerous reports of severe and catastrophic damage from the island of Dominica. A recording of a summary of reports received and a complete list of reports received from all mediums available to the net can be seen at the following links:

VoIP Hurricane Net Recording of Reports:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OSdd4jo-MQk&feature=youtu.be

VoIP Hurricane Net Report Viewer:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

The VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, will activate starting at 800 PM EDT Tuesday Evening 9/19/17 through late Wednesday Night for Hurricane Maria and impact to Puerto Rico and the United States Virgin Islands. Hurricane Maria is a catastrophic category-V hurricane and expected to cause significant damage to this region as it approaches and crosses this area.

Regarding Hurricane Jose, he is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to portions of Cape Cod and the Islands. This will be handled by the local/regional SKYWARN group in Southern New England and will forward reports of tropical storm conditions to WX4NHC if needed.

Any Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area of Maria or with relays into the affected area of Maria are asked to provide surface and damage reports into the VoIP Hurricane Net for relay into WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center. Again regarding Jose, any reports received from local/regional SKYWARN groups on the VoIP Hurricane Net will be sent via the VoIP Hurricane Net webform and when necessary to the local NWS office. We appreciate any and all support from Amateur Operators in the affected area or Amateur Operators with relays into the affected area. We are looking for reports based on the National Weather Service SKYWARN Reporting criteria. This can be seen on the VoIP Hurricane Net web site at the following link:
http://www.voipwx.net/node/236

Any pictures or videos of wind damage, river/stream/urban/storm surge flooding etc. can be sent to the following email address: pics@nsradio.org and credit will be given to the Amateur Radio Operator, weather spotter or individual that took the photos and media and be shared with the Amateur Radio team at the National Hurricane Center and other agencies and outlets.

Advisories on Maria and Jose can be seen off of the Main Menu of the voipwxnet web site, via our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and off the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Reports as obtained via the VoIP Hurricane Net from Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area, relays from the affected area or from APRS/CWOP Weather Station feeds and other social media outlets can be found at the following link:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes and can connect on either Echolink or IRLP:
*Sky_Gate* Echolink conference node: 868981/IRLP 9252

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on Echolink:
*KA1AAA* Echolink conference node: 269929
*WASH_DC* Echolink conference node: 6154

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on All-Star by dialing *033270177 or *033009123.

An audio livestream has been setup on Youtube through the efforts of W5YAG-Chad Yaggie. That link is listed below:
http://voipwx.org (Can also be obtained via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIwX7gBC_r0)

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team continues to closely watch Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Jose. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

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Hello to all..

**VoIP Hurricane Net will activate starting at 11 AM EDT/1500 UTC Monday Morning 9/18/17 until further notice for Hurricane Maria and impact to the Leeward Islands over the course of the afternoon and evening Monday.**
**WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, will be active starting at 500 PM EDT/2100 UTC Monday Evening 9/18/17 for Hurricane Maria impacts to the Leeward Islands.**

Here are the VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Plans for Hurricane Maria as of 9/17/17 at 1100 PM EDT/0300 UTC and commentary on Hurricane Jose and impacts on the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast US Coast:

The VoIP Hurricane Net will activate starting at 11 AM EDT/1500 UTC Monday Morning 9/18/17 until further notice for Hurricane Maria and impact to the Leeward Islands over the course of the afternoon and evening Monday. WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, will be active starting at 500 PM EDT/2100 UTC Monday Evening 9/18/17 for Hurricane Maria impacts to the Leeward Islands. Hurricane Maria will impact the Leeward Islands during the afternoon and evening on Monday. Maria will then make a track toward the US Virgin Islands and Puerto Rico later Tuesday and Wednesday with possible tropical storm impacts to some of the northern Leeward Islands during the day on Tuesday.

Regarding Hurricane Jose, he is expected to bring tropical storm conditions to portions of the Northeast US as well as potentially the mid-atlantic states as we get into Tuesday into Wednesday. Jose is expected to slowly weaken to a tropical storm over the next couple days but have a large tropical storm force wind field affecting these areas. At this time, the VoIP Hurricane Net will focus on Hurricane Maria and her impacts on the Caribbean islands since direct hurricane impacts are expected and local/regional SKYWARN groups will handle Jose’s impacts in the Northeast and Mid-Atlantic states but any SKYWARN criteria reports received from Jose by the VoIP Hurricane Net will be given to the NHC via the VoIP Hurricane Net webform.

Any Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area of Maria or with relays into the affected area of Maria are asked to provide surface and damage reports into the VoIP Hurricane Net for relay into WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center. Again regarding Jose, any reports received from local/regional SKYWARN groups on the VoIP Hurricane Net will be sent via the VoIP Hurricane Net webform and when necessary to the local NWS office. We appreciate any and all support from Amateur Operators in the affected area or Amateur Operators with relays into the affected area. We are looking for reports based on the National Weather Service SKYWARN Reporting criteria. This can be seen on the VoIP Hurricane Net web site at the following link:
http://www.voipwx.net/node/236

Any pictures or videos of wind damage, river/stream/urban/storm surge flooding etc. can be sent to the following email address: pics@nsradio.org and credit will be given to the Amateur Radio Operator, weather spotter or individual that took the photos and media and be shared with the Amateur Radio team at the National Hurricane Center and other agencies and outlets.

Advisories on Maria and Jose can be seen off of the Main Menu of the voipwxnet web site, via our Facebook and Twitter feeds, and off the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Reports as obtained via the VoIP Hurricane Net from Amateur Radio Operators in the affected area, relays from the affected area or from APRS/CWOP Weather Station feeds and other social media outlets can be found at the following link:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes and can connect on either Echolink or IRLP:
*Sky_Gate* Echolink conference node: 868981/IRLP 9252

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on Echolink:
*KA1AAA* Echolink conference node: 269929
*WASH_DC* Echolink conference node: 6154

Stations outside the affected area who would like to listen into the VoIP Hurricane Net can use any of the following systems for listen-only purposes on All-Star by dialing *033270177 or *033009123.

An audio livestream has been setup on Youtube through the efforts of W5YAG-Chad Yaggie. That link is listed below:
http://voipwx.org (Can also be obtained via https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QIwX7gBC_r0)

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team continues to closely watch Hurricane Maria and Hurricane Jose. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

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Hello to all…

The formal VoIP Hurricane Net activation for Hurricane Irma was secured at 800 AM EDT Monday 9/11/17 and the listening watch for Irma as a tropical storm has been secured as of 615 PM EDT Monday 9/11/17 as the tropical storm impacts are handled by local and regional SKYWARN nets and their local NWS Forecast Offices and efforts in Florida transition from response phase to the recovery phase. Over the course of the Hurricane Irma activation, both Hurricanes Katia, which made landfall in Mexico and Hurricane Jose, which skirted the Northern Leeward Islands, were also monitored for any reports and impacts while reports and monitoring continued for Hurricane Irma. It marked an unprecedented time for the net where 3 different hurricanes were monitored for potential land impacts Friday Night 9/8/17 into Saturday 9/9/17.

A listing of reports received from Amateur Radio Operators on the VoIP Hurricane Net, weather stations monitored across the region and relayed reports from social media can be found on the VoIP Hurricane Net viewer at the following link:

http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK (Click on the link under Edit_link to view the report)

Several Amateur Radio Operators have sent us photos of the damage in their area. This is appreciated and encouraged. On our VoIP Hurricane Net Facebook Page, we created a photo album of damage photos. The album can be viewed at the following link:

https://www.facebook.com/pg/voipwxnet/photos/?tab=album&album_id=1424444624343220

If you are in the affected area and have damage photos, they can be sent to the email address pics@nsradio.org and we will add them to the album with credit given to the individual who took the photo. Even if its a few days or a week or two after Irma’s passage, the photos can help with the historical record and will likely be used on a video our team will create on the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season which has been the busiest in several years for use at the 2018 National Hurricane Conference.

We appreciate everyone’s help and support in WX4NHC’s mission to help save lives and the support for our VoIP Hurricane Net! Thanks to all!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

 

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Hello to all…

The following is a Hurricane Irma and Atlantic Tropical Weather Update as of Sunday 9/3/17 at 500 PM EDT. Regarding Hurricane Irma, a Hurricane Watch is now in effect for Antigua, Barbuda, Anguilla, Montserrat, St Kitts, Nevis, Saba, Saint Eustatius, Saint Maarten, Saint Martin and Saint Barthelemy. Hurricane Irma remains a Category-3 Hurricane and is now growing in side with hurricane force winds out to 35 miles from the center and tropical storm force winds out to 140 MPH. Gradual strengthening as well as gradual growth in the size of the hurricane is expected over the next few days and a NOAA Hurricane Hunter Aircraft is enroute to the system. The VoIP Hurricane Net will potentially activate for Irma as early as Tuesday Night lasting through Wednesday Night or possibly Thursday Morning depending on the size and track of Irma. 

Advisories on Irma can be seen off the Main Menu of the voipwxnet web site, via the voipwxnet Facebook/Twitter feeds and from the NHC web site at the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Key Messages on Hurricane Irma as written by the National Hurricane Center can be seen at the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/AL112017_key_messages.png?018

Elsewhere in the tropics, a tropical wave several hundred miles southwest of Cabo Verde Island is producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms displaced well to the west of the center of the wave. Conditions remain favorable for gradual development during the next few days with a medium chance, 60% of development in the 2-5 day period.

We also have a trough of low pressure in the Southwestern Gulf of Mexico to the Yucatan Peninsula producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms. This area is unfavorable for development with just a low chance 10% for development over the next 5 days.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team is preparing for likely activation for Hurricane Irma Tuesday Night through Wednesday Night/Thursday Morning as she passes near or over the Northern Leeward Islands and looking at potential activatons into the weekend and early next week for Irma. Our team also is monitoring other developments in the Atlantic Tropics. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.

Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

 

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Hello to all…

We are entering the peak of the 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Season and there are several items of interest in the Atlantic Tropics as we get close to the peak of the season. We will go through those items now.

Hurricane Irma
Hurricane Irma is a powerful hurricane that is currently of Cat-2 intensity with 110 MPH winds and has been fluctuating between Cat-2 and Cat-3 status. Irma is expected to track west and then west-southwest for the next few days before bending back west and west-northwest. Per the 500 AM EDT/0900 UTC Saturday 9/2/17 National Hurricane Center (NHC) advisory, interests in the northern Leeward Islands should monitor the progress of this system. We will discuss the projected path of Irma on tonight’s VoIP Hurricane Prep Net at 800 PM EDT tonight. Advisories on Irma can be seen off the Main Menu of the voipwxnet web site, via the voipwxnet Facebook/Twitter feeds and from the NHC web site at the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Key Messages on Hurricane Irma as written by the National Hurricane Center can be seen at the following link:
http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/AL112017_key_messages.png?012

Atlantic Tropical Update – Another Area of disturbed weather as of Saturday 9/2/17 – 800 AM EDT

There is yet another area of disturbed weather producing disorganized showers and thunderstorms located a few hundred miles southwest of Cabo Verde Islands and associated with a tropical wave. This system has potential in the 2-5 day period as it moves westward. It has near 0 percent chance of development within 48 hours but a medium chance, 60%, for development within 5 days. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will closely monitor the progress of this system. You can find the Tropical Weather Outlook off the main menu of the voipwxnet web site, via the voipwxnet Facebook/Twitter feeds and at the NHC web site at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov as well.

Hurricane Harvey Recovery Update

Hurricane Harvey made landfall approximately one week ago in Rockport Texas and went on to produce catastrophic and record-breaking flooding in Southeast Texas and parts of Western Louisiana. The VoIP Hurricane Net took the unusual step of maintaining a listening watch for much of last week for any needs from the affected area. While things were very quiet on the system for most of the week, many monitored and there were at least a handful of check-ins from the affected area each day with updates on conditions from their parts of Texas. Two reports of families needing rescue were handled by the net and relayed to the United States Coast Guard through contacts in the Humanity Road non-profit organization. The Harvey recovery will likely go on for many months to come. Those interested in reading up on Amateur Radio efforts in the affected area can check out the following link for further information:

http://www.arrl.org/hurricane-harvey-response

Also those looking to donate to either local or national organization for the Harvey Recovery Update can check the following links for further information:

https://www.nvoad.org/voad-members/national-members/
https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/28/us/donate-harvey-charities-scams.html

The Weather Prediction Center is issuing advisories on now Post-Tropical Cyclone Harvey has he continues to produce heavy rainfall and severe weather into parts of the Ohio Valley and Southeast US. You can find these advisories off the main menu of the voipwxnet web site, via the voipwxnet Facebook/Twitter feeds and at the NHC web site at http://www.nhc.noaa.gov as well.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team’s thoughts and prayers are with the many folks in Southeast Texas affected by Hurricane Harvey both from the direct landfall of Harvey and the catastrophic heavy rainfall that followed. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor Hurricane Irma and any other development in the tropics. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

73,Rob-KD1CY.
Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net

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