Hello to all..

..VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Starting at 12 PM EDT/1600 UTC Sunday August 26th, 2012 for Impact of Isaac on the Florida Keys and Southwestern Florida. Activation will take place on the *WX_TALK* Echolink Conference Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system for the duration of this event..
..WX4NHC-National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Operations will also be active starting at 12 PM EDT/1600 UTC Sunday August 26th, 2012..

Tropical Storm Isaac is expected to intensify into a hurricane within the next 12 hours. Given the anticipated strengthening of Iaaac, the VoIP Hurricane Net and the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, will be activated starting at 12 PM EDT/1600 UTC Sunday August 26th, 2012 likely lasting into Sunday Evening looking for surface reports and information from the Florida Keys and Southwestern Florida. Any stations in these areas are asked to join the net and any stations with relays into the affected areas of Isaac are also asked to join the net.

For the latest advisory information including watches and warnings, you can go to the VoIPWXNet web site and click Atlantic Tropical Products and click on the advisory information for Isaac under the Atlantic Tropical Products section. You can also gather the advisory information from the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The reporting criteria and activation policy for our net during hurricane net activations can be found on our web site at http://www.voipwx.net and any reports received via relays or directly from Amateurs in the path of Isaac would be much appreciated.

Listen Only IRLP/EchoLink capability include the following systems (We ask that listen-only folks please provide this capability and connect by formal activation time if possible):

IRLP:
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Hello to all..

The Atlantic Tropics are in another active period with Tropical Storm Helene, which regenerated from the remnants of Tropical Depression 7, soon to make landall in Mexico, Hurricane Gordon which will impact the Central and Eastern Azores Islands of Portugal with tropical storm conditions and an area of disturbed weather organizing west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands. Here are the latest updates:

Hurricane Gordon is a Category-1 hurricane on the saffir-simpson hurricane scale with 80 MPH winds located 760 miles west-southwest of the Azores. Gordon is moving East at 18 MPH with a turn toward the east-northeast expected Sunday and Gordon is expected to approach the Central and Eastern Azores islands with tropical storm force conditions and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the Central and Eastern Azores Islands. Gordon should maintain hurricane strength but weaken to a tropical storm on Sunday as it approaches the Azores.

Tropical Storm Helene formed from the remnants of Tropical Depression 7 and is expected to make landfall later today. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the coast of Mexico from Barra De Nautla to La Cruz. The biggest threat from Helene is heavy rainfall.

A tropical wave located a couple hundred miles west-southwest of the Cape Verde Islands continues to produce showers and thunderstorms and environmental conditions appear conducive for gradual development. This system has a medium chance, 40% of becoming a tropical cyclone during the next 48 hours as it moves westward at 15-20 MPH.

Advisories on Hurricane Gordon and Tropical Storm Helene as well as the Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook can be seen on the voipwx.net web site under the Main Menu under Atlantic Tropical Products. They can also be seen at the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov
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Hello to all..

The following is the Updated Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast and an update on the Atlantic Tropics. The Atlantic Tropics remain active for this time of year.

The NOAA Atlantic Hurricane Outlook and Dr. Gray’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast updates for August have been issued. The NOAA outlook keeps a near normal season forecast, however, they have also raised the percent probability of an above normal season to 35% which means a near to slightly above normal season is now expected. Dr. Gray’s seasonal forecast revised the total named storms upward to 14 stating a near normal season remains forecasted and below normal compared to the last 2 years. The forecast outlooks from Dr. Gray and NOAA are listed below:

Dr. Gray’s Atlantic Hurricane Season Forecast:
http://tropical.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2012/aug2012/aug2012.pdf

NOAA Hurricane Outlook Press Release:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20120809_atlantic_hurricane_season_update.html

Turning our attention to the Atlantic Tropics in the short term, Tropical Storm Ernesto made landfall in Southeast Mexico as a tropical storm. The main threat from Ernesto for Southeast Mexico is heavy rainfall.
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Hello to all..

Tropical Storm Ernesto will be making landfall later this morning along the Southern coast of the Bay of Campeche. Ernesto is currently a strong Tropical Storm with maximum sustained winds of 70 MPH. Ernesto could briefly reattain hurricane strength before landfall but its close proximity to the coast, the fact that it is not a hurricane currently and the rural portion of Mexico that it will affect will preclude a formal net activation. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to monitor the progress of Ernesto during the day today. Ernesto will weaken as it tracks over land later this afternoon and tonight. Ernesto Advisory information can be seen off the Main Menu of the Web site and can be seen via the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

A low pressure area 1050 miles west of the Southern Cape Verde Islands has a high chance 70% of development into a tropical depression as it moves westward at 15 MPH. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management team will continue to monitor the progress of this system.

The remnants of Florence are located several hundred miles northeast of the Leeward Islands and producing disorganized shower and thunderstorm activity. Redevelopment of this system is not expected at this time.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor 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..

The VoIP Hurricane Net and WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, secured operations for Hurricane Ernesto at 1 AM ET Wednesday Morning. Ernesto has weakened into a tropical storm but may prompt an additional activation on Thursday Afternoon and Evening if Ernesto regains enough intensity and reaches hurricane strength as it moves out over the extreme Southern Gulf of Mexico potentially making landfall near Veracruz Mexico late Thursday Afternoon/Evening. Ernesto Advisory information can be seen off the Main Menu of the Web site and can be seen via the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net would like to thank NP3OD-Fransisco and 9Z4FZ-Julien and several other Amateur Operators on Trinidad for their significant efforts in providing relays into the affected area. Francisco-NP3OD was able to speak Spanish to several Amateur Operators on the XE3RA-L system and the Hams in Trinidad were able to establish contact to the Mexican HF Net on 40 Meters. This was very helpful in acquiring some information from the area. We also like to thank the Mexican Hams that provided what information they could provide to NHC forecasters and WX4NHC.

We also want to thank N0UAM-Jim Sellars, Assistant Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net, who discovered a weather station in Costa Maya at the Margarita del Sol Costa Maya Resort which was right in the path of Ernesto. Many reports from that station were relayed until the connection to the weather station was lost due to a power outage. An attempt was made to contact someone there on site but their cell phone had a ‘temporary out of service’ message so no further data could be gathered from this station.
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..VoIP Hurricane Net Activation Starting at 6 PM EDT/2200 UTC Tuesday August 7th, 2012 for Impact of Ernesto on Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Activation will take place on the *WX_TALK* Echolink Conference Node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system for the duration of this event..
..WX4NHC-National Hurricane Center Amateur Radio Operations will also be active starting at 6 PM EDT/2200 UTC Tuesday August 7th, 2012..

Tropical Storm Ernesto is expected to intensify into a hurricane within the next 12 hours and impact Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Given the anticipated strengthening of Ernesto, the VoIP Hurricane Net and the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, will be activated starting at 6 PM EDT/2200 UTC Tuesday Evening lasting into Wednesday Morning looking for surface reports and information from Belize and the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico. Any stations in these areas are asked to join the net and any stations with relays into the affected areas of Ernesto are also asked to join the net.

For the latest advisory information including watches and warnings, you can go to the VoIPWXNet web site and click Atlantic Tropical Products and click on the advisory information for Ernesto under the Atlantic Tropical Products section. You can also gather the advisory information from the National Hurricane Center web site at the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The reporting criteria and activation policy for our net during hurricane net activations can be found on our web site at http://www.voipwx.net and any reports received via relays or directly from Amateurs in the path of Ernesto would be much appreciated.

Listen Only IRLP/EchoLink capability include the following systems (We ask that listen-only folks please provide this capability and connect by formal activation time if possible):
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Hello to all..

The tropics are fairly active for early August. Tropical Storm Florence has formed in the far eastern Atlantic out of Tropical Depression (TD) 6 which formed late Friday Evening. Florence will be traversing the open waters of the Atlantic over the next few days. There is some question whether Florence will maintain tropical storm status over the next 5 days or weaken. The latest update on Florence is listed below and complete advisories will reflect her upgrade status at 11 AM EDT/1500 UTC 8/4/12:

Tropical Storm Florence Tropical Cyclone Update:
http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KNHC/1208041132.wtnt61.html

Tropical Storm Ernesto continues to slowly strengthen in the Caribbean Sea with an uncertain track as some models keep Ernesto in the southern part of the Caribbean while other computer models have Ernesto moving more northwestward. A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for Jamaica as of 8 AM EDT/1200 UTC on 8/4/12 per the update below:

Tropical Storm Ernesto Tropical Cyclone Update:
http://kamala.cod.edu/offs/KNHC/1208041138.wtnt65.html

Complete advisory information for both Ernesto and Florence can be seen off the main menu of the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. They can also be seen at the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team continues to closely monitor 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..

Tropical Depression (TD)5 has become Tropical Storm Ernesto, the fifth tropical system of the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season, about 295 miles East of the Windward Islands with Maximum Sustained Winds of 50 MPH and a minimum central pressure of 1006 Millibars or 29.71 Inches. Ernesto could strengthen slightly as it passes through the Windward Islands but is expected to stay below hurricane strength as it passes through the Windward islands. Ernesto may reach hurricane strength in 4 to 5 days over the Caribbean Sea. At this time, VoIP Hurricane Net activation is not expected over the next few days but we will continue to monitor the progress of Ernesto.

Advisory information on Ernesto can be seen off the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site. The advisory information can also be seen via the National Hurricane Center (NHC) web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor Ernesto and the rest of 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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Hello to all..

Tropical Depression 5 has formed in the Eastern Atlantic, about 810 miles east of the Windward Islands with Maximum Sustained Winds of 35 MPH and a minimum central pressure of 1008 Millibars or 29.77 Inches. TD 5 is expected to strengthen to a tropical storm later tonight or Thursday. If TD 5 strengthens as expected, it will be named Ernesto. This system is expected to impact the Southern Windward Islands as a tropical storm and could become a hurricane towards the end of the 5 day period.

Advisory information on TD 5 can be seen off the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site. The advisory information can also be seen via the National Hurricane Center (NHC) web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to closely monitor TD 5 and the rest of 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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Hello to all..

The following is a special announcement on the ARRL to Host a webinar on the Amateur Radio Response to the 2012 Hurricane Season for Tuesday July 17th, 2012 from 800-930 PM. A link to the story and the complete ARRL web story including registration instructions are listed below:

http://www.arrl.org/news/arrl-to-host-webinar-on-amateur-radio-response-to-2012-hurricane-season

The ARRL will host a webinar from 8-9:30 PM EDT Tuesday, July 17 (0000-0130 UTC Wednesday, July 18) to present information about the 2012 hurricane season and the Amateur Radio response. The program will offer presentations from representatives from the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and WX4NHC (the Amateur Radio station at the NHC), the VoIP Hurricane Net, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) and the ARRL. Webinar registration is open to all, but this informative web session will be of particular interest to those amateurs in hurricane-prone areas. If you are interested in emergency communications and hurricane preparedness and response, you are invited to attend this online presentation.

The following items will be included in the webinar:

•Opening remarks and introduction of presenters.

•Meteorological Overview of the Upcoming Season, presented by VoIP Hurricane Net Director of Operations and ARRL Eastern Massachusetts Section Emergency Coordinator Rob Macedo, KD1CY.

•Amateur Radio WX4NHC at the National Hurricane Center: Who We Are and What We Do and How to Contact WX4NHC and Submit Surface Reports During a Hurricane, presented by WX4NHC Assistant Coordinator Julio Ripoll, WD4R
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