Hello to all..

As the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season winds down, NOAA released a news release on the season. Highlighted was Hurricane Irene, the lone hurricane to hit the United States and affected the area from North Carolina northward to New York and New England. Irene is labeled in the news story as the most significant tropical cyclone to hit the Northeast since Hurricane Bob in 1991.

See complete article via the following link:
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2011/20111128_endofhurricaneseason_2011.html

Thanks to all for their support of the VoIP Hurricane Net during the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season. We hope to catch folks on SKYWARN Recogntion Day on Friday December 2nd through Saturday December 3rd, 2011.

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

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Hello to all..

SKYWARN Recognition Day is December 3rd, 2011 from 0000-2400 UTC and Echolink and IRLP will be playing a role in SRD as it has in past years. SKYWARN Recognition Day is an opportunity for National Weather Service Forecast Offices across the United States to thank SKYWARN Spotters for their efforts in obtaining timely severe weather reporting for the protection of life and property. This is the SKYWARN program’s main mission.

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Subtropical Storm Sean became Tropical Storm Sean yesterday as Sean made a complete transition to a tropical system. Sean could potentially impact Bermuda with tropical storm force conditions and a Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for Bermuda. Some increase in strength is possible over the next 24 hours but Sean is expected to remain below hurricane strength and become extratropical in about 72 hours. Some of Sean’s moisture will feed a front approaching New England and will result in 1-3 inches of rainfall in portions of Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

Advisories on Sean can be seen on the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. Advisories can also be seen on 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 Sean 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 Atlantic Tropics are not finished yet. Subtropical Storm Sean has formed in the Atlantic midway between the Bahamas and Bermuda. Sean may transition to a tropical storm or remain a subtropical storm. Sean will track northwest and is expected to merge with a frontal system. At that point, Sean’s remnants may bring 2-3 inches of rainfall to Eastern Massachusetts and Rhode Island.

A subtropical storm is defined per the National Hurricane Center Web site as a subtropical cyclone in which the maximum sustained surface wind speed (using the U.S. 1-minute average) is 34 kt (39 mph or 63 km/hr) or more. A subtropical cyclone is defined as a non-frontal low pressure system that has characteristics of both tropical and extratropical cyclones. This system is typically an upper-level cold low with circulation extending to the surface layer and maximum sustained winds generally occurring at a radius of about 100 miles or more from the center. In comparison to tropical cyclones, such systems have a relatively broad zone of maximum winds that is located farther from the center, and typically have a less symmetric wind field and distribution of convection.

Advisories on Sean can be seen on the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. Advisories can also be seen on 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 Sean 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..

A reminder that starting with the Saturday November 12th net, the net will be one hour earlier in most of the continental United States that observes ‘falling back’ to standard time. That means the net will be at 7 PM ET, 6 PM CT, 5 PM MT, 4 PM PT. This is to accommodate keeping the net at 0000 UTC and to accommodate our international partners who don’t observe daylight savings time. The Yahoo calendars reflect this in the reminders for the net as well.

We appreciate everyone who checks into the regular edition of the VoIP Hurricane Prep Net. 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..

SKYWARN Recognition Day (SRD) 2011 will be on Saturday December 3rd, 2011 from 0000-2400 UTC (Friday Evening 7 PM EST through Saturday Evening 7 PM EST). Our last VoIP Hurricane Prep Net will take place immediately following SRD’2011.

We will have many NWS offices rotating on a schedule during SRD’2011. The first update to NWS offices who have participated on the system before has been sent. If new NWS offices are interested in participating the system, please contact me at kd1cy at voipwx.net.

The SRD web site has been updated with information for 2011. Please see the link below:

http://hamradio.noaa.gov

We look forward to hearing many stations on the *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system as well as on other Echolink and IRLP nodes and systems, HF, VHF and UHF during SRD’2011. Thanks to all for their continued support.

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

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Hello to all..

The following is an update on Hurricane Rina as of 8 AM EDT/1200 UTC Wednesday 10/26/11.

Hurricane Rina is expected to reach major hurricane status today and tonight followed by weakening as Rina gets near or over the Yucatan Peninsula Thursday. A Hurricane Warning is in effect for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from north of Punta Gruesa to Cancun. A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for the east coast of the Yucatan Peninsula from Chetumal to Punta Gruesa. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect from the coast of Belize from Belize city northward and the Honduran Bay Islands of Roatan and Guanaja.

Based on the present track, WX4NHC, the Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center is expected to activate on Thursday. The VoIP Hurricane Net will also activate Thursday as well.

We are looking for any contacts over the Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico or any relays into the affected area. Any support from Hams who may have contact with the affected area or are in the affected area are asked to come on to the net on the *WX_TALK* Echolink conference node: 7203/IRLP 9219 system on Thursday. Further details on net activation plans will be posted late Wednesday Evening.

We will continue to closely monitor the progress of Hurricane Rina. 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) 18 has formed in the Western Caribbean Sea. A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for the coast of Honduras from Punta Castilla eastward to the Nicaragua border. TD 18 could reach tropical strom strength tonight or Monday. If it were to do so, it would be named Rina. TD 18 is currently not expected to reach hurricane strength but this will be monitored closely. Track guidance is widely divergent with tracks ranging from Central America to the Southeast Gulf of Mexico. This will likely become better defined in the next few days.

Advisory information on TD 18 can be seen off the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. This information can also be seen on 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 TD 18 and other systems in the Tropics as required. 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..

Here is the latest tropical update for the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific. This update is as of 4 PM EDT/2000 UTC.

Ophelia became a hurricane about 48 hours ago and is now a major hurricane. Hurricane Ophelia is passing well to the east of Bermuda and will be on a track that will race it north, northeast and then east-northeast becoming extratropical southeast of Newfoundland Canada. At this time, Newfoundland Canada could see very heavy rainfall and possibly tropical storm/gale force winds late Sunday Night into Monday but the strongest winds should pass southeast of Newfoundland based on the current track of Ophelia. The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will closely monitor the progress of Ophelia and her impact on Newfoundland Canada.

Tropical Storm Philippe continues to maintain tropical storm intensity. Philippe could weaken over the next few days due to significant shear but then slowly strengthen if it survives that shear. Philippe is a threat to shipping interests only over the 5-day period and will remain well away from land.

In the Eastern Pacific, Hilary has weakened to a remnant low. There are no other areas of disturbed weather in the Eastern Pacific of concern.

Advisories on Ophelia and Philippe and the Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook can be see under the main menu of the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic Tropical Products. The Eastern Pacific Tropical Weather Outlook can be seen under the main menu of the voipwx.net web site under Pacific Tropical Products. This information is also available under the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The Canadian Hurricane Centre is also issuing information statements and technical discussions on Hurricane Ophelia. See the following link for those bulletins:

http://www.atl.ec.gc.ca/weather/hurricane/bulletins_e.html
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The Tropics have 2 named systems in the Atlantic and 1 named system in the Eastern Pacific. None of these systems are a threat to land at this time. Here is an update:

Ophelia regenerated yesterday as a tropical depression and became a tropical storm this morning. Despite some shear, Ophelia is expected to intensify and may become a hurricane in the next few days. Ophelia is largely a threat to shipping interests as a trough over the Eastern United States keeps Ophelia out over the open Atlantic. There is an outside chance of Ophelia brushing Bermuda. Towards the end of the 5-day period, Ophelia may threaten Newfoundland as a post tropical system.

Philippe reamins a tropical storm but is being strongly sheared. Philippe is expected to see little change in strength followed by weakening to a tropical depression and then a post-tropical system over the next few days. Philippe will remain out over the open Atlantic and a threat only to shipping interests.

In the Eastern Pacific, Hillary remains a hurricane but is expected to rapidly weaken to a tropical storm and then a tropical depression and then a remnant low over the next 48 hours. Hillary is expected to reamin a threat only to shipping interests while it is a tropical system.

Advisories on Ophelia and Philippe in the Atlantic and Hillary in the Eastern Pacific and the Tropical Weather Outlooks for each basin can be found under the Main Menu of the voipwx.net web site under Atlantic and Pacific Tropical products respectively. The info is also available via the National Hurricane Center web site via the following link:

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov

The VoIP Hurricane Net Management Team will continue to 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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