The Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) has activated for Hurricane Hanna, the first hurricane of the Atlantic Hurricane season. The storm is poised to make landfall along the Gulf of Mexico. A Category 1 storm, Hanna has maximum sustained winds of 75 MPH. As of 1200 UTC, the storm was about 90 miles east-northeast of Port Mansfield, Texas, and about 100 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas.

“The year 2020 has been a strange year in every way, and the weather is no different,” HWN Manager Bobby Graves, KB5HAV, said. “Just a few hours ago, it looked as though we would be activating for Hurricane Gonzalo. Well, that storm had other ideas. The same can be said for what had been Tropical Storm Hanna in the Gulf of Mexico. All along, it looked as though this storm would make landfall as a Tropical Storm.”

Graves said the net activated today at 1130 UTC on 14.325 MHz — its primary net frequency. “If conditions require, and they most likely will, we will operate simultaneously on 14.325.00 MHz and 7.268.00 MHz,” Graves said. The HWN will remain active until 2200 UTC, “or until no longer required by the National Hurricane Center.”

Via its amateur radio volunteer members, the HWN gathers observed ground-truth weather data from those in the affected area. “We are also available to provide back-up communication to official agencies such as emergency operations centers, Red Cross officials, and storm shelters in the affected area,” Graves added. “We will also be interested to collect and report significant damage assessment and storm surge data back to the forecasters as well as FEMA officials stationed in the National Hurricane Center.”

WX4NHC at the NHC also has activated for Hanna, and will participate in the HWN on 14.325 MHz, as well as on the VoIP Weather Net, WX-TALK Conference node 7203 / IRLP node 9219). Contact WX4NHC via Winlink (subject must contain “//WL2K”) or complete a WX4NHC online Hurricane Report Form.

Due to COVID-19 precautions, WX4NHC operators are operating from their homes.