Amateur Radio is active to provide critical communications for those in the path of Hurricane Beryl. The following information is from Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, the Net Manager of the Hurricane Watch Net.

Sunday, June 30, 2024, AM update:

Overnight, Beryl grew into a strong Category 3 Hurricane. As of 8:00 AM EDT (1200 UTC), Beryl was located about 420 east of Barbados moving to the west or 280 degrees at 21 mph with sustained winds of 115 mph.

Continued rapid strengthening is forecast over the next day or so, and Beryl is expected to become an extremely dangerous category 4 hurricane before it reaches the Windward Islands.

On the current track, Beryl is expected to move over the smaller islands between Grenada and St. Vincent. Some of these islands are populated. Any deviation to the left of the current track and Grenada could take a direct strike. Any deviation to the right of track and St. Vincent could take a direct strike.

The Hurricane Watch Net will be activated this afternoon at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC) on 14.325.00 MHz (USB). We remain in operation on this frequency for as long as propagation allows. We will activate this evening at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC) on 7.268.00 MHz (LSB). We will remain active on this frequency overnight for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all night, we will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Monday to allow the Waterway Net to conduct their daily Net.

For this evening and overnight, we will be lining up reporting stations in the path of Beryl. This will allow people to check their equipment and allow us to know where storm shelters are located as well as line up Emergency Operations Centers and Emergency Comms.

For Monday, we will resume operations on 14.325.00 MHz at 6:00 AM EDT (1000 UTC). Also, we will resume operations on 7.268.00 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC). We will remain active for as long as we can be of assistance.

As always, we greatly appreciate the daily users and various nets who use 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz for allowing us a clear frequency. It certainly makes our job easier and I know those in the affected area appreciate it as well.

Our prayers go out to those who could be affected by Hurricane Beryl. HWN is prepared, ready to serve, and do what we can to help save lives.

Saturday, June 29, 2024, PM update:

The Tropical Atlantic is hot and getting busy. We currently have Tropic Storm Beryl located about 820 miles east of Barbados. Beryl is currently forecast to become a Cat 1 Hurricane later this afternoon, a Cat 2 Hurricane Sunday morning, and a Cat 3 Hurricane late Sunday, or early Monday. However, I would not be surprised for it to become a Major Hurricane by midday Sunday.

The Hurricane Watch Net plans to activate tomorrow, Sunday at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC) to line up reporting stations. Monday we will be collecting surface reports and forwarding that information to the forecasters in the National Hurricane Center in Miami. Below is our plan for operation.

Sunday

20 meters: 14.325.00 MHz at 3:00 PM EDT (1900 UTC) until we lose propagation at night.

40 meters: 7.268.00 MHz starting at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC). We will remain active on this frequency overnight for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows us to operate all night, we will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Monday to allow the Waterway Net to conduct their daily Net.

Monday

20 meters: we will resume operations on 14.325.00 MHz at 6:00 AM EDT (1000 UTC).

40 meters: we will resume operations on 7.268.00 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC).

According to Bryan Norcross, “If Beryl reaches hurricane strength, which looks very likely, it will only be the second hurricane in the record book to take a track in June anything like the one forecast. The previous storm was a damaging Category 1 that hit Trinidad in the extraordinarily busy hurricane season of 1933.”

The forward speed of Beryl is very quick. As of 11:00 AM EDT Saturday, Beryl is moving to the west at 23 mph with sustained winds of 65 mph. Any change to the forward speed would affect the timing of possible landfall.

The current forecast track has Beryl moving between St. Lucia and Grenada striking the islands of St. Vincent and the Grenadines and remaining just south of Barbados. Barbados would be the first to be affected and currently, it looks to have the closest approach just before sunrise Monday. St. Vincent and the Grenadines would be affected shortly after sunrise.

Looking ahead. Beryl is forecast to be near or hitting Jamaica on Wednesday. The timing depends on the forward speed. Beryl is forecast to weaken to a Cat 2 before reaching Jamaica, however, all ingredients are in place for Beryl to remain a Major Hurricane. Bottom line, don’t drop your guard. Also, there is another disturbance on the heels of Beryl, so, watch out! And, we have something that “could” brew in the southern Gulf of Mexico over the next few days.

As always, we greatly appreciate the daily users and various nets who use 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz for allowing us a clear frequency. It certainly makes our job easier and I know those in the affected area appreciate it as well.

Our prayers go out to those who could be affected by Hurricane Beryl. HWN is prepared, ready to serve, and do what we can to help save lives.