Amateur radio emergency communications volunteers have been busy preparing for another potential hurricane as Tropical Storm Nicole crosses the Atlantic.

As of 4 PM EST (2100 UTC) on Wednesday, November 9, 2022, the NWS National Hurricane Center (NHC) is tracking Tropical Storm Nicole about 55 miles east of Freeport, Grand Bahama Island, and 135 miles east of West Palm Beach, Florida. With maximum sustained winds near 70 mph, the large tropical storm is expected to become a hurricane as it heads to Florida tonight, where 45 counties are under a State of Emergency.

A Hurricane Warning is in effect for The Abacos, Berry Islands, and Grand Bahama Island in the northwestern Bahamas, and Boca Raton to Flagler/Volusia County Line Florida. Nicole is forecast to move near or over Grand Bahama Island in the northwestern Bahamas this afternoon and evening, and move onshore the east coast of Florida. The storm is then expected to move across central and northern Florida, and into southern Georgia Thursday and Thursday night, and into the Carolinas on Friday.

The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) activated Wednesday morning at 10:00 AM EST on their primary frequency of 14.325 MHz. The net disseminates the latest NHC advisories, and will obtain real-time ground-level weather conditions and initial damage assessments from amateur radio operators in the affected area and relay that information to the National Hurricane Center by way of their station, WX4NHC. Activation on their 40-meter net on 7.268 MHz will begin at 4:00 PM EST. The nets will remain active on both 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz for as long as propagation will allow or until their services are no longer required.

The VoIP Hurricane Net began monitoring conditions starting at 8 AM EST Wednesday morning, and activated at 12 PM EST. The net will remain active potentially through 12 PM EST Thursday. Read the Wednesday post from Director of Operations for the VoIP Hurricane Net Rob Macedo, KD1CY.

Amateur Radio Liaison to the State of Florida Arc Thames, W4CPD, reported that the radio room in the Florida State Emergency Operations Center (EOC) will be staffed for any emergency traffic. The Center is monitoring HF nets and the Statewide Amateur Radio Network (SARnet), a network of linked repeaters that serves Florida. Additionally, the Statewide Emergency NET will be activated at 11 PM EST / 10 PM CST, and will run for approximately 24 hours. More information is available at floridaemergency.net.

ARRL Southern Florida Section Manager Barry Porter, KB1PA, reported activations of Amateur Radio Emergency Service® (ARES®) groups, and counties that have activated shelters.