CLASSIFICATION: UNCLASSIFIED
The Hurricane Watch Net will be activating today @ 5:00 PM EDT – 2100 UTC on our primary net frequency …of 14.325 MHz. Once activated, the net will remain in continuous operation until further notice. We plan to operate 14.325 MHz by day and 7.268 MHz by night. If propagation dictates, we will operate both frequencies at the same time.
Matthew is a very large and dangerous hurricane. It is forecast to produce total rain accumulations of 15 to 25 inches over southern Haiti, with possible isolated maximum amounts of 40 inches. Matthew is forecast to produce total rain accumulations of 10 to 20 inches over eastern Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and eastern Cuba, with possible isolated maximum amounts of 25 inches. This rainfall will produce life-threatening flash floods and mud slides.
Matthew is expected to affect Jamaica, Haiti, the Dominican Republic, Cuba, the Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas over the next few days. People along the US East Coast should also keep an eye on Matthew.
As with any net activation, we will be requesting observed ground-truth data from those in the affected area (Wind Speed, Wind Gust, Wind Direction, Barometric Pressure – if available, Rain, Damage, and Storm Surge). If you have measured weather data, that would be of great help. As always, we remind reporting stations to “please” do not report to us the weather information reported by your local media. We are interested ONLY in YOUR personal observations, preferably measured by calibrated instrumentation.
We are available to provide backup communications to official agencies such as Emergency Operations Centers and Red Cross officials in the affected area. We will also be interested to collect and report significant damage assessment data back to FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane Center.
For those seeking to pass Health and Welfare traffic, we will respectfully defer this to the SATERN net. They are better equipped and trained for this type of traffic. When active, they operate on 14.265 MHz. Also, you can find them online at www.satern.org.
Please honor our request that you not check in to the net unless specifically requested to do so. We will attempt to handle all communications within the capabilities of our own members. When outside assistance is required, we will welcome your help. Just closely follow the instructions of Net Control.
As a final reminder, please monitor this web site for storm related advisory updates, graphics displays, and other data made available from the National Hurricane Center.
Please, keep those who are in the path of this dangerous hurricane in your thoughts and prayers!