VoIP Hurricane Net Formal Activation Secured on Friday 9/14/18 at 800 PM EDT – Listening Watch to Continue into Saturday Due to Catastrophic Flooding – Saturday Night Prep Net Cancelled

Hello to all…

The VoIP Hurricane Net has secured the formal activation on Friday 9/14/18 at 800 PM EDT. Many critical flooding, storm surge, wind damage and wind measurement reports were received into the net using a variety of sources both relayed and direct. This information provided great situational awareness and disaster intelligence to WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio station at the National Hurricane Center, local National Weather Service (NWS) forecast offices, media and Amateur Operators around the world. Many thanks to all the stations who supported information gathering and thanks to those who listened and stood by as this was completed. In addition, emergency traffic was handled in New Bern, North Carolina where an Amateur Operator in Texas was in contact with a resident in New Bern who was waist deep in water and requiring rescue. We were able to contact New Bern authorities to make them aware of it and also learned it was on their list but their resources had yet to be able to rescue her. Our contact and update likely expedited her rescue. Finally, one of our high wind gust reports was in the 800 AM EDT Friday 9/14/18 National Hurricane Center intermediate advisory on Florence.

A complete list of reports gathered during the formal activation can be seen at the following link:
http://report.voipwx.net/qilan/nhcwx/list_VOIP_records?auth=OK

We are going to utilize a listening watch mode through at least Saturday Morning. The reason for this is because of a message that was seen in NWS Chat regarding the significant flash flooding in Southeast North Carolina and potential communications issues. That text issued at about 730 PM Friday Evening is listed below:

NWS Partners. We have issued a FLASH FLOOD EMERGENCY for Carteret/Jones/Craven and Pamlico Counties. The unprecedented rainfall approaching 2 feet in Carteret County is being exasperated by an intense rainband that extends into nearby counties. Widespread flooding is occurring. We at the NWS are having difficulty communicating this to the public. We appeal to you our partners to help us spread word of this particularly dangerous situation. Most roads across the area are becoming impassable and citizens are loosing time to evacuate before the flood water become too high.

The listening watch will be a monitoring mode where we will read selective urgent weather warnings and give the coordinates of now, Tropical Storm Florence. Any emergency traffic or spotter reports will be accepted.

Finally, after 35 hours of formal net activation and the listening watch through Saturday Morning which could be extended, the VoIP Hurricane Prep Net for this Saturday 9/15/18 at 800 PM EDT has been cancelled. We will reconvene next week barring another hurricane net activation.

WX4NHC Amateur Radio Team Coordinators, Julio Ripoll-WD4R and John McHugh-K4AG wishes to thank everyone for their help and support as the reports were extremely useful to their team and the hurricane specialists and our VoIP Hurricane Net Management team, again, expresses their appreciation. Thanks to all for their continued support of the VoIP Hurricane Net!

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