NORFOLK -- Navy ships and aircraft from North Carolina to Maine are ready to get underway to get out of Hurricane Earl's path, if conditions warrant.
Commander, Navy Region Mid-Atlantic set Hurricane Condition Three Wednesday morning.
Other operations are operating as usual as commands make hurricane preparations. Preparations include securing all hazards throughout the installations, removing debris from drainage areas and sandbagging low lying area.
USS Cole returned to Naval Station Norfolk Wednesday afternoon, a couple of days, early from a seven-month deployment.
Commander, U.S. Second Fleet, set Sortie Condition Charlie for all U.S. Navy ships as ships are prepared to get underway within 48 hours if necessary.
"Although the forecast for Hurricane Earl indicates it will pass offshore of the Hampton Roads area without the destructive winds that would necessitate our fleet to get underway, the storm can still be unpredictable and we should expect high winds" Vice Adm. Daniel Holloway, commander, U.S. Second Fleet, said Wednesday morning.
For shore facilities, five hurricane conditions exist, forecasting the approximate time to the onset of winds greater than 64 knots: Condition V – the possibility of a system-onset exists (set throughout hurricane season), Condition IV - 72 hours, Condition III - 48 hours, Condition II - 24 hours and Condition I - 12 hours.
For ships, three sortie conditions (A, B and C) exist. Because the risk of damage is greater when ships remain tied to the pier, it's much safer for them to ride out the storm at sea. Aircraft are also relocated to predesignated alternate sites.
Condition Charlie means ships must be prepared to leave within 48 hours; at condition Bravo, ships must be prepared to get underway within 24 hours; sortie condition Alpha indicates the execution of the sortie.
