Hello to all..

The tropics in both the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific remain active. We’ll start in the Atlantic and then discuss Hurricane Bud in the Eastern Pacific.

Special Tropical Weather Outlooks have been initiated on a broad area of low pressure located between the Northwest Bahamas and Southeast Florida that is gradually becoming better organized. This system now has a high chance, 60%, of becoming a tropical or subtropical cyclone as it moves northeast at 10-15 MPH. This will be monitored closely over the next few days. The Special Tropical Weather Outlook for this system in the Alantic is avaiable off the main menu of the VoIPWXNet web site under Atlantic Tropical Products.

In the Eastern Pacific, Hurricane Bud has reached major hurricane status as of 11 PM EDT/0300 UTC. A Hurricane Warning is in effect from Manzanillo northwestward to Cabo Corrientes. A Tropical Storm Warning and Hurricane Watch is in effect for the Coast of Mexico from Punta San Telmo westward to east of Manzanillo. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the coast of Mexico from north of Cabo Corrientes to San Blas.

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Hello to all..

Tropical Storm Alberto has weakened a bit while moving southwest into cooler shelf waters. Air Force Recon aircraft estimated Alberto’s maximum sustained winds at 45 MPH. Where most of the wind field is on the eastern side of the system and Alberto is becoming stationary and preparing to make the turn northeastward and accelerate, the Tropical Storm Watch for portions of the South Carolina coast has been discontinued.

Interests from the Outer Banks of North Carolina through Northeast Florida should continue to monitor the progress of Alberto until he makes the expected turn to the Northeast and accelerates. At this time, Alberto is expected to be a threat largely to shipping interests and for some rough seas and rip currents along the Carolina coast down to Northeast Florida. This is assuming Alberto maintains its intensity as expected as it is possible Alberto could weaken further.

Advisories on Alberto are available on the voipwx.net web site via the main menu under Atlantic Tropical Products. The advisories are also available on the National Hurricane Center web site via the link below:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

This will likely be the last update on Tropical Storm Alberto barring a significant change in track or intensity. 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..

Current NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) Director, Bill Read-KB5FYA, is retiring on June 2nd. A new NHC Director has been selected and it is Rick Knabb, Ph.D, who worked at The Weather Channel as their on-air tropical weather expert. Dr. Knabb had previously worked at the National Hurricane Center as a senior hurricane specialist and as deputy director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center in Honolulu Hawaii previously. The complete press release can be seen at the following link:

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20120518_Rick_Knabb.html

Dr. Knabb is well aware of the efforts of Amateur Radio Operators during hurricanes. During the National Hurricane Conference in late March, Dr. Knabb gave a presentation to Amateur Radio Operators at the Orange County Florida EOC lauding the efforts of Amateur Operators during hurricanes for providing critical surface reports.

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..

As of the 11 PM EDT/0300 UTC Tropical Storm Alberto Advisory package, a Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for the coast of South Carolina from the Savannah River to South Santee River. Coastal interests elsewhere from Georgia through the Outer Banks of North Carolina are being requested to monitor the progress of Alberto. Alberto is currently a 50 MPH Tropical Storm. Little change in intensity is expected. The current track keeps most of the impacts of Alberto offshore, however, the forecast is uncertain at this time in terms of both intensification and track and a closer to the coast track is possible hence the reasoning for the Tropical Storm Watch issuance for the South Carolina coast.

The Alberto Advisory information can be seen in the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. The advisory information 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 will closely monitor the progress of Alberto. 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..

TD 1-E has formed in the Eastern Pacific several hundred miles from Manzanillo Mexico. TD 1-E formed one day prior to the official start of the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season and is no immediate threat to land. TD-1E may strengthen slightly into a Tropical Storm before weakening. If it reaches tropical storm intensity, it would be named Aletta. This system is not expected to threaten land and VoIP Hurricane Net activation is not anticipated.

Advisories for TD 1-E can be found on the voipwx.net web site under the Main Menu under Pacific Tropical Products. Advisories can also be seen on the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

Going forward, Eastern Pacific Tropical System advisories will be under the main menu of the web site as needed but emails, web site, and social media updates will not be posted unless the system is threatening land as a hurricane. For Atlantic systems, notices will be sent out as systems form, intensify and threaten a land area as a hurricane.

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will closely monitor 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 National Hurricane Center has issued Special Tropical Weather Outlooks updating the system in the Atlantic and the system in the Eastern Pacific. Those updates are as follows:

In the Atlantic, the non-tropical low pressure system 460 miles west-southwest of the Azores has become less organized. It now only has a low chance, 20% of development.

In the Eastern Pacific, the area of disturbed weather 550 miles South-Southwest of Acapulco Mexico has become a little better organized. It now has a 50% chance of development versus 40% as noted yesterday. This is still in the medium chance category.

Additional Special Tropical Weather Outlooks on these systems will be issued as needed by the National Hurricane Center. Neither system is an immediate threat to land at this time.

The Special Tropical Weather Outlook product can be seen on the main menu of the voipwx.net web site under Tropical Weather Outlook under Atlantic Products for the Atlantic system and under Pacific Products for the Eastern Pacific system. The Special Tropical Weather Outlook can also be seen on the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

It is noted that the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season officially starts on May 15th. The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts on June 1st.

The VoIP Net Management Team will closely monitor these tropical systems. 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..

A few folks were asking about the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center, WX4NHC, Communications Test. The WX4NHC Communications Test will take place on Saturday June 2nd, 2012 as confirmed with WX4NHC Coordinators, John McHugh-K4AG and Julio Ripoll-WD4R via email. The entire Communications Test is from 9 AM-5 PM EDT (1300-2100 UTC) and WX4NHC will be testing different radio modes at different times including VHF/UHF, HF and Echolink/IRLP. WX4NHC will likely be on the *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system from 1-3 PM EDT (1700-1900 UTC) as they have done in past years.

Further details will be made available from the WX4NHC coordinators as we get closer to this test. 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 National Hurricane Center in Miami Florida has issued a couple of Special Tropical Weather Outlooks, one for the Atlantic and one for the Pacific on areas of disturbed weather with the potential for development. Here are the details:

In the Atlantic, a non-tropical low pressure system has developed 400 miles southwest of the Southern Azores Islands and has thunderstorm activity near the center. This system has a medium chance, 40%, for tropical development as it moves little over the next couple days.

In the Eastern Pacific, an area of disturbed weather has developed 550 miles south-southwest of Acapulco, Mexico and upper level winds appear conducive for development. This system has a medium chance, 40%, for tropical development as the system moves slowly northwestward.

Neither system is an immediate threat to land at this time. Subsequent Special Tropical Weather Outlooks could be issued later tonight and Sunday as the National Hurricane Center monitors these systems. The Special Tropical Weather Outlook product can be seen on the main menu of the voipwx.net web site under Tropical Weather Outlook under Atlantic Products for the Atlantic system and under Pacific Products for the Eastern Pacific system. The Special Tropical Weather Outlook can also be seen on the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

It is noted that the Eastern Pacific Hurricane Season officially starts on May 15th. The Atlantic Hurricane Season officially starts on June 1st.

The VoIP Net Management Team will closely monitor these tropical systems. 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..

Irene has been retired from the list of Atlantic Basin Storm Names because of the damage and fatalities it caused over Puerto Rico, the Bahamas and from portions of North Carolina all the way through the Mid-Atlantic and Northeast and New England states. Irene is the 76th name to be retired from the Atlantic list since 1954 and will be replaced with Irma. Further details can be seen via the link below:

http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2012/20120413_irene.html

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 National Hurricane Center has announced some product changes for the new year and has reiterated some links of interest. This information is available in a PDF document via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/news/20120403_pa_productChanges.pdf

The product changes include:
1.) Minor Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale Modification
2.) Tropical Cyclone Forecast Cone of Uncertainty reduced in size

Other items reiterated was as follows:
1.) Information on the lead times for Tropical Storm and Hurricane Watches and Warnings. These changed in 2010.
2.) Storm Surge Exceedance Products are operational.
3.) Links to the Storm Names Prononuciation Guide
4.) The National Hurricane Center Facebook Page link located at http://www.facebook.com/US.NOAA.NationalHurricaneCenter.gov
5.) NHC is now on Twitter with 2 accounts, one for the Atlantic basin (@nhc_Atlantic) and one for the eastern Pacific @nhc_Pacific)

Additional links and experimental product information was also highlighted. Please check it out via the link above. 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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