Whether evacuating or hunkering down, here’s the key stuff you need to know about hurricanes.
If you live in an area of the country that occasionally experiences hurricanes, you know just how devastating these storms can be. They have sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or stronger, with some having been recorded as high as 195 mph.
At the very center of the air circulation is the eye, inside of which it’s relatively calm. But the strongest thunderstorms and winds circulate in the eye wall immediately surrounding the eye. When you’re in the eye, you know you’re just about to get hit with the ferocious eye wall at any moment.
One advantage in dealing with a hurricane rather than a tornado is that you will have considerably more advance notice to prepare for it, thanks to meteorological advancements. They can also accurately predict the strength at which a hurricane will be by the time it reaches landfall.
The downsides to a hurricane – and there are plenty of them – are that they can be very slow moving and can bring excessive amounts of water with them. They can cause extensive flooding and are often accompanied by thunderstorms and tornadoes, plus sustained rains and winds. Hurricanes can knock out power for days and cut off usable water supplies.
Having an emergency response plan in place in case a hurricane is heading your way is crucial if you live in an area susceptible to these vicious storms. The key to dealing with a hurricane is planning in advance. Having a 72-hour survival kit and your bug-out bag ready to go and knowing your evacuation routes will save you valuable time.
One thing that is impractical to do in advance – but which you should be ready to start executing at a moment’s notice when you hear a hurricane is heading your way – is preparing your home. This involves:
- Boarding up windows with plywood or installing storm shutters.
- Securing your roof and siding to your house frame with straps.
- Reinforcing garage doors, trimming long tree branches and bringing outdoor furniture into your house.
- Familiarizing yourself and your family with utility shut-off switches and valves in your house in case you need to evacuate.
Other activities you should engage in prior to a hurricane approaching your area are:
- Familiarize yourself with emergency routes and shelters. Print out those routes and keep them in your vehicle’s glove compartment.
- Make yourself aware of community shelters in your neighborhood just in case you need to use one.
- Make sure your car has a full gas tank and that important items such as a first-aid kit are in your car.
During a hurricane, assuming there was no evacuation order and you decided to ride it out, monitor emergency radio and mainstream media reports. Close your blinds and move your most valuable possessions away from windows, and then stay away from those windows, close interior doors and remain in your home’s interior rooms.
Once the storm has passed, continue to monitor weather reports and try to use flashlights instead of candles if your power is out. If you’re returning after evacuating, keep an eye out for flooding, ruptured gas lines and damaged structures, and be aware that water may have become contaminated. Report any damage sustained by your home to your insurance agent as soon as possible.
I live on an island south of New Orleans. Katrina (2006) made land fall here and completely devistated everything. Well over half the population that lived here before have moved inland. Those that have decided to return “home” talk about the evacuation, the devistation, the return, and the rebuilding just as a hunter talks about his trophy kill. I only moved here a couple of years ago and have learned a lot about preparing for tropical storms and huricanes. The communities are still rebuilding and have begun to recover to the pulsing life that once was here. Most everyone here that have rebuilt their homes have placed some type of storm shutters on their windows and in some cases doors. Others have elected to (by new code) elevate their homes either by earthen fill or stilts. All of them know by heart when to have their “Go bags” ready. I have made many friends here who have shown me and passed information to me on preparing for such a disaster.
Thank you for sharing this. My grand hope is that everyone can be prepared without having an actual disaster in their recent past to prompt them.
as for hurricane on east coast most start across the Atlantic very few reach USA most turn north way out. As to size of eye, hurricane David’s eye told took over an hour to past over my house, had time to drive 5 miles check on things and drive back home. The weather in the eye was very calm, no rain or wind at all, birds were flying and singing and bugs were out. And yes the eyes can be very different as to size. Went into Michigan behind a hurricane so big trees were laying down flat all in one direction, was told the eye was about 100 miles wide.
mommy nature is God’s way of cleaning the air so to speak…..people are to stupid to realize that….its like a lightning fire in the forest….cleaning the under brush out so new can begin. hurricanes’ and tornados are no different…
fortunately we all live in an age where we do have time to leave or evacuate the area so do what ya gotta do…..
me, weather is the last thing I worry about…..its the one thing I have (really) no control of…..
the real threat to our health and well being is an out of control federal government.
Good advice. However, the majority will never use it until too late.
Very good information. I am almost 78 years old, Florida being my home state, I am very aware
of the dangers of hurricanes. I was living in Suwannee, Florida at the mouth of the Suwannee River when we had the flood of the century. I still can not express my feelings during that time.
May God bless you for all of your good information.
. For accurate hurricane information use, crownweather services.com. Then click on Atlantic Basin Weather.
For the Caribbean use stormcarib.com. This will give you real time for down Island contributors.