The best time to prepare for a hurricane is before Hurricane Season begins on June 1. It is vital to understand your vulnerability to storm surge, flooding, and wind. And to have a Hurricane Preparedness Kit as well as supplies to help you recover after the storm.
Before the Storm
Here is a checklist of things to consider before hurricane seasons begins.
- Check your supplies from last Hurricane Season: If you have water, food or other supplies with expiration dates, make certain those supplies are still good.
- Know your zone: Do you live near the Gulf or Atlantic Coasts? Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government/emergency management office or by checking the evacuation site website.
- Put Together an Emergency Kit: Put together a basic emergency. Check emergency equipment, such as flashlights, generators and storm shutters.
- Collect supplies for up to a week without power or water. That means water (up to one gallon per person, per day), non-perishable food, medicine and prescriptions, and toiletries
- Write or review your Family Emergency Plan: Before an emergency happens, sit down with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency. Keep a copy of this plan in your emergency supplies kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster. Start at the Ready.Gov emergency plan webpage.
- Review Your Insurance Policies: Review your insurance policies to ensure that you have adequate coverage for your home and personal property.
If you need more information about what to include in your Hurricane Preparedness Kit, Ready.gov has a helpful list of items to include. It is also important to have additional smaller emergency kits n your car and at work.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
Forecasting a Tropical System
Whenever a tropical cyclone (a tropical depression, tropical storm, or hurricane) or a subtropical storm has formed in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) issues “products” (updates, advisories, watches, and/or warnings) at least every 6 hours at 4 am, 10 am, 4 pm, and 10 pm Central Time. When coastal tropical storm or hurricane watches or warnings are in effect, the NHC will issue Tropical Cyclone Public advisories every 3 hours. You can find these products on www.hurricanes.gov for the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
Here is a quick rundown of products the NHC will use during Hurricane Season…
Outlooks
Tropical Weather Outlook: The Tropical Weather Outlook is a discussion of significant areas of disturbed weather and their potential for development during the next 5 days. The Outlook includes a categorical forecast of the probability of tropical cyclone formation during the first 48 hours and during the entire 5-day forecast period.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
Advisories
Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory: The Tropical Cyclone Public Advisory contains a list of all current coastal watches and warnings associated with an ongoing or potential tropical cyclone, a post-tropical cyclone, or a subtropical cyclone. It also provides the cyclone position, maximum sustained winds, current motion, and a description of the hazards associated with the storm.
Tropical Cyclone Track Forecast Cone: This graphic shows areas under tropical storm and hurricane watches and warnings, the current position of the center of the storm, and its predicted track. Forecast uncertainty is conveyed on the graphic by a “cone” (white and stippled areas) drawn such that the center of the storm will remain within the cone about 60 to 70 percent of the time. Remember, the effects of a tropical cyclone can span hundreds of miles. Areas well outside of the cone often experience hazards such as tornadoes or inland flooding from heavy rain.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
Watches
Storm Surge Watch: There is a possibility of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 48 hours.
Tropical Storm Watch: Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are possible within the specified area within 48 hours.
Hurricane Watch: Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are possible within your area. Because it may not be safe to prepare for a hurricane once winds reach tropical storm force, The NHC issues hurricane watches 48 hours before it anticipates tropical storm-force winds.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
Warnings
Storm Surge Warning: There is a danger of life-threatening inundation from rising water moving inland from the shoreline somewhere within the specified area, generally within 36 hours. If you are under a storm surge warning, check for evacuation orders from your local officials.
Tropical Storm Warning: Tropical storm conditions (sustained winds of 39 to 73 mph) are expected within your area within 36 hours.
Extreme Wind Warning: Extreme sustained winds of a major hurricane (115 mph or greater), usually associated with the eyewall, are expected to begin within an hour. Take immediate shelter in the interior portion of a well-built structure.
Hurricane Warning: Hurricane conditions (sustained winds of 74 mph or greater) are expected somewhere within the specified area. NHC issues a hurricane warning 36 hours in advance of tropical storm-force winds to give you time to complete your preparations. All preparations should be complete. Evacuate immediately if so ordered.
Please note that hurricane and tropical storm watches and warnings for winds on land as well as storm surge watches and warnings can be issued for storms that the NWS believes will become tropical cyclones but have not yet attained all of the characteristics of a tropical cyclone (i.e., a closed low-level circulation, sustained thunderstorm activity, etc.). In these cases, the forecast conditions on land warrant alerting the public. These storms are referred to as “potential tropical cyclones” by the NWS.
Hurricane, tropical storm, and storm surge watches and warnings can also be issued for storms that have lost some or all of their tropical cyclone characteristics, but continue to produce dangerous conditions. These storms are called “post-tropical cyclones” by the NWS.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
NWS Local Forecast Office Tropical Products
Hurricane Local Statement: Local NWS offices in areas affected by a tropical cyclone issue Hurricane Local Statements to keep the public, local decision makers, and the media current on potential storm impacts in their area. The Hurricane Local Statement contains a succinct overview of the event and a generalized summary of potential impacts and preparedness information. Potential impact information is ordered based upon the greatest expected impact from the tropical cyclone within the NWS local office’s area of responsibility. Possible sections are wind, storm surge, flooding rain, tornadoes, and other coastal hazards.
Tropical Cyclone Threats and Impact Graphics: These graphics provide a threat assessment in terms of potential hazard impacts within an NWS local office’s area of responsibility. The assessment scheme takes into account the forecast magnitude of the hazard, along with the associated uncertainty of the forecast. Graphics showing potential impacts from wind, coastal flooding, inland flooding, and tornadoes are produced.
Remember: ALWAYS evacuate if told to do so by local officials.
During The Storm
When a hurricane threatens your community, be prepared to evacuate if you live in a storm surge risk area. Allow enough time to pack and inform friends and family if you need to leave your home.
Secure your home: Cover all of your home’s windows. Permanent storm shutters offer the best protection for windows. A second option is to board up windows with 5/8 inch exterior grade or marine plywood, built to fit, and ready to install. Buy supplies before the hurricane season rather than waiting for the pre-storm rush.
Follow instructions issued by local officials: Leave immediately if ordered to evacuate.
If you are not ordered to evacuate, seek shelter in a small interior room, closet, or hallway on the lowest level during the storm. Put as many walls between you and the outside as you can. Stay away from windows, skylights, and glass doors.
If the eye of the storm passes over your area, there will be a short period of calm, but at the other side of the eye, the wind speed rapidly increases to hurricane force winds coming from the opposite direction.
After the Storm
Take a survey of your surroundings outside of your house. Walk carefully around the outside of your home to check for loose power lines, gas leaks, and structural damage. Stay out of any building – including your home – if you smell gas, if floodwaters remain around the building, if the building or home was damaged by fire, or if the authorities have not declared it safe.
Carbon monoxide poisoning is one of the leading causes of death after storms in areas dealing with power outages. Never use a portable generator inside your home or garage. Review generator safety. Only use a generator in open, well-ventilated – areas.
Use battery-powered flashlights. Do NOT use candles. Turn on your flashlight before entering a vacated building. The battery could produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present.
