August 25, 2025

Hurricane Watch Net Marks 60 Years of Service to the National Hurricane Center and Communities in the Path of Storms

This Labor Day Weekend, the Hurricane Watch Net (HWN) celebrates its 60th Anniversary of providing critical communications support to the National Hurricane Center (NHC) and communities impacted by hurricanes.

The HWN traces its roots to Hurricane Betsy in 1965, when amateur radio operator Jerry Murphy, K8YUW, heard urgent calls for information from people in the Bahamas. At the time, 24-hour news and weather coverage did not exist, and storm forecasting and communications technology were still in their infancy. Jerry began coordinating reports from hams in the Bahamas, Florida, and across the region — relaying vital surface data and storm conditions. (Betsy eventually made landfall in southeast Florida. This storm resulted, for the first time in US history, 1 billion dollars in damage.) Out of that effort, the Hurricane Watch Net was born, built on a simple but powerful principle: when information is scarce and lives are at stake, amateur radio can be a lifeline.

Today, nearly 60 volunteers across the United States, Canada, Bermuda, Honduras, Nicaragua, Puerto Rico, and Aruba relay real-time weather data and storm damage reports directly to NHC’s amateur station, WX4NHC. Since its founding, the Net has supported 156 landfalling hurricanes, including 60 major hurricanes and 12 Category 5 storms.

Since its founding, the HWN has been active for 156 landfalling hurricanes, including 60 major hurricanes (Category 3 or stronger). Of those, 12 struck as Category 5 hurricanes. The Net’s longest continuous activation occurred during Hurricane Matthew in 2016, when operators remained on the air for 151 hours straight. Among the deadliest storms ever recorded by the Net was Hurricane Mitch in 1998, which claimed more than 11,000 lives in Central America.

The Net operates on 14.325 MHz and 7.268 MHz, often simultaneously, with Net Control Stations strategically positioned throughout the region to maximize coverage.

The HWN’s mission includes:

• Disseminating official advisories issued by the National Hurricane Center in Miami, FL. We do so for marine interests, the Caribbean Islands, Central American nations, and other interests where public media is not readily available.
• Relaying real-time weather data, surface conditions, and initial damage assessments directly to the forecasters at NHC’s amateur station, WX4NHC.
• Providing backup communications to emergency agencies when traditional systems fail.
• Assist the Salvation Army SATERN Net with "Outgoing" Health & Welfare Traffic.

The Hurricane Watch Net held a Special Event on June 7–8, 2025 to mark this historic milestone. We held this event early to ensure we would not have to postpone or cancel in the event of an actual hurricane activation. This on-air celebration allowed us to honor six decades of service while remaining ready to fulfill our primary mission should a storm threaten.

The Hurricane Watch Net continues to serve the public interest by helping save lives during hurricanes. We are proud to carry forward the vision of our founder, Jerry Murphy, who passed earlier this year at age 88.

Over six decades, the HWN has forged strong partnerships with WX4NHC, the VoIP Hurricane Net, the Salvation Army Team Emergency Radio Network (SATERN), the Canadian Hurricane Centre, the ARRL, as well as government and non-government agencies, providing a reliable communications backbone when traditional systems are down. Looking ahead, the Hurricane Watch Net remains committed to preparedness, public outreach, and its mission of serving the NHC and communities most at risk from tropical cyclones.

Kind Regards and God Bless,
Bobby Graves, KB5HAV
Net Manager
Hurricane Watch Net