ARES ACTIVATION

Robert Hayes10:08 PM

MS ARES Activation Alert: Tropical Storm & Flash Flooding Emergency Communications
Situation: A tropical system currently maintaining maximum sustained winds of 30 mph (25 knots) is expected to track northeastward over warm Gulf waters tomorrow, where intensification is forecasted. The system is projected to move offshore of south Texas tonight, approach the coast tomorrow, and move inland over central Louisiana by Thursday morning before rapidly dissipating.👍

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The primary hazard to Mississippi and the broader Gulf Coast (extending from the Upper Texas coast through the Florida Panhandle, including Alabama and Georgia) is heavy rainfall and significant flash flooding extending into the weekend. Mississippi ARES should be prepared to monitor rising water levels, provide ground-truth situational reports, and pass priority emergency traffic as requested by served agencies.

Served Agencies: National Weather Service (NWS), local Emergency Management Agencies (EMA), and state public safety entities requiring Emergency Communications (EMCOMM) support. Weather Conditions: Heavy tropical downpours, severe flash flooding risks, and potential localized infrastructure failures due to rising water.

Mission: Mississippi ARES will activate to monitoring status at 0900 on 17 June 2026. We will remain on standby to transition to emergency status to provide storm monitoring, flash flood reporting, and EMCOMM relays via DMR, HF, and VHF/UHF networks. If a full activation occurs, MS ARES operations will remain active for the duration of this tropical weather event and subsequent flooding.

Amateur radio operators should monitor local flood conditions, report localized rainfall data, prioritize life-safety traffic, and stand ready to support served agencies if primary commercial telecommunications grids fail. Communication Tasks: North of I-20: Utilize North East Mississippi DMR Talkgroup 31285 for severe weather and regional tracking reports. South of I-20 (Primary Impact Zone): Utilize Lucedale DMR Talkgroup 312801 for rapid flash flooding and tropical storm updates.

Mississippi Section Phone Net (MSPN): Standby and active emergency operations will be maintained on HF frequencies 3862 kHz SSB (Primary) and 7238 kHz SSB (Daytime/Backup). Net Control Stations (NCS) will manage HF operations on a continuous basis if needed. Local Spotting: Utilize local DMR networks and VHF/UHF repeaters for localized severe weather traffic.

CRITICAL NOTE: Ensure immediate, life-threatening flooding situations are reported directly to local civil authorities (911) before transmitting via amateur radio networks. Coordinator Instructions: If necessary, the Section Emergency Coordinator will call for NCS operators to manage traffic on assigned analog voice, DMR, and HF networks. Incident leadership coordination will be maintained continuously via the established GroupMe channel and local VHF/UHF repeater infrastructure.

Personal Readiness: All participating members should be prepared for a minimum 72-hour period of complete self-sufficiency. Ensure personal gear and stations are hardened against water intrusion and power outages.❤️👍👎🤣

Primary Signal: Local VHF/UHF analog repeaters, DMR Talkgroups (31285 / 312801), and HF MSPN frequencies (3862 kHz / 7238 kHz). Tertiary Signal: GroupMe and SMS texting (cellular data permitting).
Safety Brief: Turn around, don’t drown. Under no circumstances should any MS ARES operator attempt mobile operations or drive through flooded roadways to gather weather intelligence. Secure your home station first, monitor local conditions from safety, and do not put yourself in a rescue scenario.

Weather Summary (WXSUM)SW September 11-12, 2024

September 10, 2024 Report #4 as of 1640 hrs.

EOC Activation Level: Level 3 (Virtual Activation)
WebEOC Event Name: TW Sep 10-13, 2024
Crisis Track Event Name: TW Sep 10-13, 2024
Sources: NWS Jackson, NOAA

OVERVIEW:

  • A significant risk for heavy rainfall (6-10” of rain) is forecast for Wednesday
    through Thursday night across southern and coastal counties including
    McComb, Poplarville, and Gulfport. This area faces likely flash flooding,
    numerous roads may be flooded, closed or washed out. Flooding of
    structures increasing likely and minor to moderate river flooding is likely.
  • An elevated risk for heavy rainfall (4-6″ of rain) is forecast for Wednesday
    through Thursday night across much of central and southern Mississippi,
    including areas around Jackson, Vicksburg, Natchez, Brookhaven,
    Hattiesburg, and Laurel. This area faces likely flash flooding, possible road
    closures, and potential minor river flooding.
  • A limited threat (2-4″ of rain) extends across the remainder of the state,
    including Tupelo, Laurel, Yazoo City, Greenville, Greenwood, Eupora,
    Columbus, Kosciusko, Clarksdale, Tunica, Southaven, Oxford, Corinth,
    Philadelphia, and Meridian with localized flash flooding possible, particularly
    in low-lying and urban areas.
  • An elevated wind threat from Tropical Storm Francine is expected
    Wednesday afternoon through Thursday afternoon in the southwestern
    corner and coastal areas of Mississippi, including Natchez, McComb,
    Brookhaven, Poplarville and Gulfport. This elevated threat includes wind
    gusts of 45-55 mph, with potential for widespread downed trees and
    powerlines, some damage to roofs and homes, many blocked roads, and
    power outages possibly lasting several days. The rest of the state, including
    Jackson, Greenville, Tupelo, and the Gulf Coast, faces a limited wind threat with gusts of 30-45 mph, some downed trees and powerlines, some blocked
    roads, and possible power outages for 1-2 days.
  • A slight risk for severe storms is forecast for Wednesday afternoon and night
    across coastal Mississippi, including Hattiesburg, Gulfport, and Poplarville.
    Isolated severe storms with damaging wind gusts and a few tornadoes are
    possible. A marginal risk extends across eastern portion of the state,
    including Tupelo, Columbus, Philadelphia, Meridian, Magee, Laurel, and
    McComb, with the possibility of isolated severe storms, a few tornadoes, and
    damaging wind gusts. The timing for severe weather is mainly late
    Wednesday afternoon after 5pm into early Thursday morning.

TIMING:Wednesday through Thursday night.

RAINFALL (MS): https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/

  • 4-7″ of rain is expected across much of central and southern Mississippi,
    with locally higher amounts possible. This covers a larger area than just
    southern Mississippi.
  • 2-4″ of rain is forecast for northern Mississippi and the southeastern corner
    of the state, also with locally higher amounts possible.
    FLASH FLOODING POTENTIAL (MS): https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/
  • Flash flooding is likely in the elevated threat area. This includes the
    possibility of some roads being flooded/closed and some structures possibly
    threatened with inundation.
  • In the limited threat area localized flash flooding is possible, particularly in
    low-lying and urban areas. Minor river flooding is possible in both threat
    areas.

WATCHES/WARNINGS (MS): https://alerts.weather.gov/cap/ms.php?x=1

  • Tropical Storm Warning – Until Further Notice: Lincoln, Pearl River,
    Southern Jackson, Southern Harrison, Southern Hancock,
    Northern Jackson, Walthall, Southern Harrison, Pike, Amite, Northern
    Hancock, Northern Harrison, Wilkinson, Southern Hancock, Stone
  • Storm Surge Warning – Until Further Notice: Southern Harrison, Southern
    Jackson
  • Tropical Storm Watch – Until Further Notice: Greene, Perry, Adams,
    Forrest, Franklin, Lamar, Copiah, Covington, Jefferson Davis, Simpson,
    Jefferson, Claiborne, Marion, Lawrence, Lincoln
  • Flood Watch – Until 9/12/2024 @07:00 CDT – Wilkinson, Amite, Pike,
    Walthall, Pearl River, Northern Hancock, Northern Harrison, Northern
    Jackson, Southern Hancock, Southern Harrison, Southern Jackson,
  • Flood Watch – Until 9/12/2024 @ 1300 CDT: Madison, Leake, Hinds,
    Rankin, Scott, Newton, Claiborne, Copiah, Simpson, Smith, Jasper, Adams,
    Jefferson, Franklin, Lincoln, Lawrence, Jefferson Davis, Covington, Jones,
    Marion, Lamar, Forrest, Wayne, Perry, Greene, Stone, George
  • Flood Warning – Until 9/12/2024 @ 0700 CDT: Hancock
  • Flood Warning – Until 9/13/2024: Harrison, Pearl River, Pike
  • Flood Warning – Until 9/14/2024: Harrison
  • Tropical Cyclone Statement – Until 9/10/2024@18:30 CDT: Wilkinson,
    Amite, Pike, Walthall, Pearl River, Northern Hancock, Northern Harrison,
    Northern Jackson, Southern Hancock, Southern Harrison, Southern Jackson,
    Claiborne, Copiah, Simpson, Jefferson, Adams, Franklin, Lincoln, Lawrence,
    Jefferson Davis, Marion, Lamar

EM COMM OPERATION

EMECT DE K5DDT

I AM REQUESTING ALL MEMEBERS OF THE EMECT NET TO SEND A LIST OF EMERGENCY OPERATIONejaeut3iIMES AND FGREQUENCIES YOU OPERATE OR PLAN TO OPERATEDURING A HURRICANE OR OTHER LOCAL, REGIONAL OR NATIONAL EMERGENCY.

AN EXAMPLE: ONE OF OUR MEMBERS CONVEYED TO ME, HIS RIG IS ON FLDIGI AT NIGHT AND MORNING UNTIL AFTER THE EMECT NET (3581). HE CHANGES OVER TO NET 40 (7104 LSB) DURING MOST OF THE DAYLIGHT HOURS. OBVIOULSY THERE ARE TIMES HE WILL BE USING WINLINK FOR SENDING /RECEIVING MESSAGES.

WE ARE TRYING TO GET AN IDEA OF WHEN, WHERE, AND HOW WE CAN EXPECT TO CONTACT SOMEONE IN CASE IT IS NEEDED. THIS IS WHAT EMERGENCY COMMS IS ABOUT. PLEASE CONTACT ME WITH YOUR INFO OR QUESTIONS. I WILL LOOK FORWARD TO HEARING FROM YOU. WE WILL GET THE RESULTS COMPILED AND POSTED FOR THE GROUP AFTER IT IS RECEIVED.