Hampton Roads ships prepare for hurricane - Navy News | News from Afghanistan & Iraq - Navy Times

Hampton Roads ships prepare for hurricane

Navy ships in the Hampton Roads region are preparing to get underway within 24 hours of a sortie order as officials and forecasters continue to eyeball the progress of Hurricane Earl as it powers toward the southeast coast of the U.S.

On Tuesday afternoon, Earl was packing 135 mph winds on a west-to-northwest track. By Wednesday morning, however, Earl had weakened to a Category 3 storm, with 125 mph winds.

But the National Hurricane Center in Miami says fluctuations in strength are still possible over the next 48 hours. Currently, Earl is located about 815 miles south-southeast of Cape Hatteras, N.C., and is moving northwest near 16 mph.

Still, with the possibility of at least tropical storm-force winds over the region — NWS late Tuesday issued a hurricane watch for most of North Carolina’s coast up to its border with Virginia — and keeping in mind the weather service’s reminder of the uncertainties involved in forecasting a hurricane’s actual track and intensity, the Navy decided to begin storm preparations.

Late Tuesday afternoon, Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway, 2nd Fleet commander, set Condition Bravo, directing the commanding officer of every ship in the region to get prepared to get underway on short notice.

“The best time to get ready is before the storm,” Holloway said.

No decision has yet been made regarding a sortie of non-deployed aircraft in the region, although more than a few aircraft are at sea aboard the carrier Harry S. Truman, now deployed, and Enterprise, Dwight D. Eisenhower and George H.W. Bush, all of which are underway for training, according to Mike Maus of the Atlantic Fleet Naval Air Force. Just last week, Enterprise had to grapple with high seas generated by Hurricane Danielle.

Some ships, including the carrier Theodore Roosevelt, are tied up in maintenance availabilities and will have to remain in port, said Lt. Brian Badura of 2nd Fleet.

Holloway also called upon sailors and families to get prepared so that families “are prepared and will have the resources and support available for whatever challenges the storm may bring.”

Installations from Hampton Roads up to Brunswick, Maine, were placed under Condition Four early Tuesday, according to Mid-Atlantic Region spokeswoman Beth Baker. That spells a continuation of normal operations but also precautionary steps that include securing loose objects, such as trash cans and picnic tables in parks, and picking up debris.

“We’re not sandbagging yet,” Baker said. “We’re just taking a look and making preparations in the event that we need to.”

Baker also seconded Holloway’s call and urged families to ensure their emergency kits and family disaster plans are up to date.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.