Update from the Hurricane Watch Net…
Overnight, Fiona grew into a powerful Cat 4 Hurricane with sustained winds of 135 mph. As of the 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) Advisory 30, Fiona was located at 25.6N 71.5W or about 615 miles (990 km) southwest of Bermuda and about 1385 miles (2225 km) south-southwest of Halifax Nova Scotia. Maximum sustained winds were 130 mph (215 km/h) and present movement was 10 degrees at 9 mph (15 km/h). The minimum central pressure was 937 mb (27.67 inches).
Fiona is a category 4 hurricane on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale. Some strengthening is forecast through tonight, with some fluctuations in intensity possible on Thursday. And, Fiona is forecast to be a hurricane-force cyclone through Saturday.
Given the fact that Fiona has been erratic at times, any deviation to the east could bring Fiona onshore in Bermuda as a Cat 4 Hurricane. Therefore, the Hurricane Watch Net will activate Thursday at 5:00 PM EDT (2100 UTC) on our primary frequency of 14.325 MHz. We will activate our 40-meter Net on 7.268 MHz at 7:00 PM EDT (2300 UTC). We will remain on 20-meters for as long as propagation will allow and remain active on 40-meters until no longer required or propagation goes away. Should Fiona make direct landfall, we will resume operations Friday at 9:00 AM EDT (1300 UTC) to assist with post-storm reports and any outgoing Health and Welfare Traffic which would be at the direction of the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN).
All ClayARES members are encouraged to monitor the Hurricane Watch Net as their frequency privileges allow. Please remember that the Hurricane Watch Net is a directed net and is closed to non-net members or stations that are not in areas impacted by named storms. Please do not transmit on HWN frequencies unless specifically instructed to do so by the net control station.
