Air Force preps for Hurricane Dorian

  • Published
  • Air Force News Service

As Hurricane Dorian approaches the U.S., Air Force bases along the East Coast have begun preparing for the storm, currently a powerful Category 2 hurricane.

As of Sept. 3, Patrick Air Force Base, Florida, entered Hurricane Condition, or HURCON, 1, which indicates surface winds in excess of 50 knots (58 mph) could arrive in the area of Patrick AFB and Cape Canaveral Air Force Station within 12 hours. The base issued a limited evacuation order Aug. 31, for Patrick AFB, Cape Canaveral AFS and Jonathan-Dickinson Missile Tracking Annex personnel.

For more information, visit https://www.patrick.af.mil/HurricaneInformation/ and monitor the base’s social media pages.

Joint Base Charleston, South Carolina, entered HURCON 2 Sept. 3. Col. Terrence Adams, 628th Air Base Wing and JB Charleston commander, issued a limited evacuation order in conjunction with the South Carolina governor's evacuation order Sept. 2.

Base leadership is working closely with the South Carolina Emergency Management Division and local authorities to coordinate hurricane response efforts.

For more information, visit https://www.jbcharleston.jb.mil/.

Shaw AFB, South Carolina, entered HURCON 3 Sept. 2. The base is preparing to launch aircraft ahead of the storm but currently does not have plans to evacuate personnel. For information, visit https://www.shaw.af.mil/.

Moody AFB, Georgia, declared HURCON 4 Aug. 29, and began preparations to relocate aircraft for the incoming storm. For information, the base advises personnel to follow local news services, and visit https://www.moody.af.mil/.

Seymour Johnson AFB, North Carolina, continues to monitor the storm. For information visit the base’s social media and https://www.seymourjohnson.af.mil/.

HURCON is an alert scale used to communicate levels of preparation for an approaching hurricane.

HURCON 5: Destructive winds are possible within 96 hours.

HURCON 4: Destructive winds are possible within 72 hours.

HURCON 3: Destructive winds are possible within 48 hours.

HURCON 2: Destructive winds are possible within 24 hours.

HURCON 1: Destructive winds are possible within 12 hours.

HURCON 1C: Caution: Winds of 40-57 mph/ 35-49 kts sustained are occurring.

HURCON 1E: Emergency: Winds of 58 mph/ 50 kts sustained and/ or gusts of 69 mph/ 60 kts or greater are occurring.

HURCON 1R: Recovery: Destructive winds have subsided and are no longer forecast to occur; survey and work crews are permitted to determine the extent of the damage and to establish safe zones around hazards (e.g. downed power lines, unstable structures.) Non-essential personnel are asked to remain indoors.

All personnel are reminded to continue to stay in touch with their chain of command and log in to the Air Force Personnel Accountability and Assessment System at https://afpaas.af.mil to report accountability.

Further information will be provided as updates occur.