The following is posted on behalf of our friends at the Hurricane Watch Net, with gratitude for their amazing dedication, especially with three simultaneously active hurricanes. Please continue to keep 14.325 and 7.268 MHz clear for storm-related traffic...
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| Atlantic Basin Hurricane Map as of Thursday, September 7, 2017. From left, Hurricanes Katia, Irma and Jose. (Courtesy NOAA/National Hurricane Center) |
40 meter operations on 7.268.00 MHz were suspended at 5:30 AM EDT – 0930 UTC. The center of Irma had moved well to the northwest of Puerto Rico and beginning to move parallel to the island of Hispaniola. Daytime operations have resumed on 14.325.00 MHz, which took place at 7:00 AM EDT – 1100 UTC.
Irma weakened slightly after midnight eastern. The central pressure rose from 914 mb to 921 mb, the eye has become cloud filled and the central convection has become somewhat ragged. Nevertheless, Irma remains a powerful and dangerous hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 180 mph (285 km/h).
We are closely monitoring 2 additional hurricanes: José and Katia. There is an old saying, “Timing is Everything”. Amazingly enough, depending upon the course and timing of José and Katia, members of HWN “could” be working 3 landfalling hurricanes at once.
José could affect the northern Leeward Islands Saturday or Sunday as a Category 2 Hurricane.
Katia is forecast to make landfall as a Category 2 Hurricane late Friday evening-early Saturday morning somewhere between Veracruz and Tampico, Mexico.
Any change in Net Operation plans will be noted here, on our website, the networks of 14.300.00 MHz, and many additional amateur radio networks and media.
If there is anything we can do to be of assistance, please don’t hesitate to call!
As always, we are praying and hoping for the best yet preparing for the worst.
Sincerely,
Bobby Graves - KB5HAV
Hurricane Watch Net
Net Manager
www.hwn.org
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