[PBARC] Extremely Dangerous" Hurricane Rita has Amateur Radio Net on Aler t

[WOLF, EARNEST G]

"Extremely Dangerous" Hurricane Rita has Amateur Radio Net on Alert


NEWINGTON, CT, Sep 21, 2005--As Hurricane Rita <http://www.hwn.org/atlantic/hapt33us.htm>  (click for latest advisory) steams toward the Texas coast, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN <http://www.hwn.org/> ) has tentative plans to reactivate Friday, September 23, at 1300 UTC on 14.325 MHz. Boasting winds of 165 MPH, the storm now has reached Category 5 status, according to a National Hurricane Center bulletin at 2000 UTC citing hurricane reconnaissance aircraft data. HWN Manager Mike Pilgrim, K5MP, said earlier that the net's plans could change depending on Rita's behavior. 

"People along the entire Gulf Coast of Texas and possibly a corner of Louisiana should maintain a very close watch on subsequent advisory information as Rita churns and strengthens across the Gulf of Mexico," Pilgrim said after the HWN secured September 20. The HWN had just wrapped up a day and a half of operation as Rita skimmed past the Florida Keys and into the Gulf of Mexico. 

The HWN works closely with WX4NHC <http://www.wx4nhc.org/>  at the NHC to gather ground-level weather data to aid forecasters in fine-tuning their reports. An NHC update September 20 cited "an unofficial report from a ham radio operator" regarding Rita's wind velocity in the Key West area. Once the HWN has reactivated, WX4NHC will monitor the net on 14.325 MHz as well as EchoLink WX-Talk Conference Room and IRLP Node 9219. 

Even before the storm's elevation to Category 5, the NHC was calling Hurricane Rita "an extremely dangerous hurricane." The NHC has issued a hurricane watch the Gulf of Mexico coast from Port Mansfield, Texas, to Cameron, Louisiana. 

As of 2130 UTC today, Hurricane Rita was some 700 miles east-southeast of Corpus Christi, Texas, and 600 southeast of Galveston, Texas, moving westerly at nearly 13 MPH. That motion was expected to continue for the next 12 to 24 hours, the NHC said. The storm could reach landfall by Saturday morning. 

"Tides are currently running near normal along the Mississippi and Louisiana coasts in the areas affected by Katrina," the NHC said at 2100 UTC. "Tides in those areas will increase up to 3 to 4 feet over the next 24 hours with large waves on top, and residents there could experience flooding." 

ARES and RACES teams along the Gulf Coast already have been marshaling volunteers in the face of this latest severe weather threat, which, in addition to extreme winds, could include heavy rainfall and tornadoes. 

NASA says its Johnson Space Center in Houston closed at 1800 UTC today due to the threat posed to the Houston-Galveston area by Hurricane Rita. A small emergency rideout crew will remain on site. The center will not reopen until the storm threat has passed, NASA said.