Saturday, August 17, 2024 Midday Update:

This update is from the Hurricane Watch Net:

The Hurricane Watch Net has secured operations for Hurricane Ernesto. We were in continuous operation for 22 continuous hours.

From the reports we received, more than 26,000 residents are without power. Many areas are without internet service as well.

The eyewall is now north of the island and reported wind speeds on the island are near 50 mph. Conditions should continue to improve as the day goes on.

The 2024 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season only now beginning to enter the Peak of Season. The second half of August and the month of September have a reputation for being busy and very dangerous. Please, Do Not Drop Your Guard! You still have time to prepare for Hurricane Season. Never wait until the last minute to do so!

As always, we greatly appreciate the daily users and various nets who use 14.325 MHz and 7.268 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.

Friday, August 16, 2024 Evening Update:

WX4NHC Amateur Radio Station at the National Hurricane Center – Announcement – Hurricane Ernesto

WX4NHC will be activated tonight Friday August 16th at 8pm EDT for Hurricane Ernesto’s forecast track affecting Bermuda. We expect to be active until approximately Noon EDT on Saturday August 17th, past the forecast Landfall.

WX4NHC will be On-The-Air on the Hurricane Watch Net frequency 14.325 MHz most of the time and 7.268 MHz depending on propagation. We will also be on VoIP Hurricane Net  (IRLP node 9219 / EchoLink WX-TALK Conference node 7203). http://www.voipwx.net/

I will also be monitoring WinLink and Online reports. Please send or relay any Surface Reports (weather data, flooding, damage) to the Hurricane Nets or using any of the available modes listed.

WX4NHC On-line Hurricane report Form: Hurricane On-line Report Form (fiu.edu)

Please remember that, due to Federal Security measures: 

NO VISITORS will be allowed entry to NHC.

Thursday, August 15, 2024 Midday Update:

The National Hurricane Center reports that Tropical Storm Ernesto had become a Category 1 hurricane.

A hurricane warning has now been issued for Bermuda and dangerous rip currents are likely along U.S. East Coast beaches this weekend, August 17 - 18.

Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, Hurricane Watch Net Manager, reports the net’s activation plans:

Friday August 16 

• 20 meters: 14.325 MHz (USB) at 2:00 PM EDT (1800 UTC) until we lose propagation at night. 
• 40 meters: 7.268 MHz (LSB) at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC). The net will remain active on this frequency overnight for as long as propagation allows. If propagation allows operation all night, the net will suspend operations at 7:30 AM EDT Monday to allow the Waterway Net to conduct its daily net. 

Saturday August 17 

• 20 meters: we will resume operations on 14.325 MHz at 7:00 AM EDT (1100 UTC). 
• 40 meters: we will resume operations on 7.268 MHz at 8:30 AM EDT (1230 UTC). 

 The VoIP Hurricane Net  is not active yet but monitoring the situation. 

The hurricane is currently about 605 miles south-southwest of Bermuda with sustained winds of 85 miles per hour (MPH) and moving north at 13 MPH. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 45 miles from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles. The forecast track shows the center of Ernesto is expected to pass near or over Bermuda on Saturday, August 17. 

Ernest has now moved out of Puerto Rico. The island suffered flash flooding, storm damage, and widespread power outages on Wednesday as Ernesto moved past. Half of all residents were without power, with flooding and damage especially pronounced in the eastern part of the island. Angel Luis Santana Díaz, WP3GW, Public Information Coordinator for the ARRL Puerto Rico Section, reports that amateur radio operators there are on the KP4FRA repeater system reporting situations on different municipalities. 

Fred Kleber, K9VV / NNA2FK, Section Manager of the ARRL Virgin Islands Section, reports Virgin Islands Territorial Emergency Management Agency (VIETMA) activated its emergency operations centers on Tuesday night. Power is out to all customers on all islands with lines down and trees blocking some roads. Kleber estimated that full power restoration may take 1 - 2 days. All U.S. Virgin Island (USVI) repeaters are operating except for one, and the British Virgin Islands BVI.73 repeater is on the air as well. The Starlink antenna, in use for the first time, survived 75 - 80 MPH wind gusts with service solid at 150+ Mb download speed, even through the clouds. 

More updates will be posted as the Ernesto moves north across Bermuda during the next 24 hours.

This story will be updated as additional information comes in.