Hurricane Preparation

Hurricane.com since 1994

When a storm threatens, what should you do? Hurricane preparedness is merely a matter of planning ahead. Hurricane threats come in many forms, including storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, and flooding.

Helpful Links

Standby Generators - from whole house to portable generators
Emergency Supplies - supplies you could need in a hurricane
Hurricane Shutters - shutters to protect your home
Hurricane Lamps - hurricane lamps

Before the Hurricane Season Begins

Develop a plan. Know your homes vulnerability to the threats above - surge, wind, and flooding. Check your supplies - water, batteries, food. For information on developing a Hurricane Supply kit, see our page on that topic. Know where you can evacuate to - friends, relatives, a hotel?

Know when to take action - Watch vs Warning

WATCH: Hurricane conditions are possible in the specified area of the WATCH, usually within 36 hours.
WARNING: Hurricane conditions are expected in the specified area of the WARNING, usually within 24 hours. Remember that there is no such thing as a "minor hurricane." Category 1 and 2 hurricanes still can do significant damage.

Prepare before a Watch or Warning is issued and be ready to evacuate when the Watch comes or earlier if so instructed.

An Approaching Storm

As a storm approaches, you should prepare your house and your yard. Some things to consider:

Turn down the temperature on your freezer and refrigerator as low as possible. This will buy you more time in the event of a power loss. 24 to 48 hours before will cool the food. Avoid opening them whenever possible. If you are evacuating, probably unnecessary.

Before you evacuate, call at least one person out of state to let them know your plans.

Ensure that your Hurricane Emergency Kit is fully stocked.

Charge electronic devices, for example, computers, cell phones, rechargeable batteries, razors, and the like.

Make extra ice, bag it - this will be useful to use and to keep the freezer cold.

Do the same with your home air conditioner. It gets very hot and very humid very quickly. If you are evacuating, this is not necessary.

If you have a generator, do NOT run it inside or near the house. But make sure you have fuel to run it.

Make sure your car has fuel.

Pick up yard debris - furniture, tools, decorative items, branches - anything loose that could become a missile. We have placed furniture in the pool upon occasion.

Secure boats, trailers, campers, RVs, and the like in the safest place you can find. Tie them down, anchor them, or however you can best secure them. But, take into account that there may be a storm surge.

Secure all doors and windows with locks, and shutters if available. Plywood, properly secured, can be effective. Don't forget your garage doors.

Move items that may be damaged by water to higher areas of your home if you can not take them with you if evacuating. Move them away from windows in case they are broken.

Huge items must even be secured in big storms. An engine block was found 40 or 50 feet up in a pine tree in the Homestead (actually Redlands) area after Andrew. Don't think that something is too big to be moved by the wind.

Re-check tie-downs.

Bring cars, bikes, scooters and anything like that into your garage if possible.

Bring in grills or other cooking items.

Bring in hoses, trash cans, hot tub covers, wind-chimes, plants.

Caulk and fill bathtubs - extra water comes in handy for toilets and more..

It may sound strange, but do your laundry, dishes, and take a shower. Why? Because if you lose power, having as much clean as possible will make a big difference.

Check if your pool pump should be on or off.

Close and fasten gates so they don't swing.

Close chimney flues.

Close/latch inside doors and cabinets.

If you have time, help your neighbors. Debris in their yards can easily impact your home and yard.

During a storm.

Stay inside, away from windows

Be alert for tornadoes

Stay away from flood waters and storm surge. It can be deceptively strong.

Be aware of the eye. It may be calm, but winds can and will pick up quickly and could catch you outside.

Un-plug electronic devices that are not in use to avoid surge damage. This is less likely that during afternoon thunderstorms because lightening is rare in a hurricane, but it is better to be safe.

After a Storm

Know power safety - avoid downed lines

Know food safety - what is good and for how long.

Chain saw safety is critical

Generator safety is important too

Water treatment - whether water needs to be boiled or not.

Listen to local officials

Use flashlights instead of candles

Inspect your home for damage.

Stay off roads as much as possible

You may need to super-chlorinate your pool

Boat Prep

1. Move life jackets and first aid kits to house
2. Remove cushions and lose items (e.g. boat tops) and move to garage
3. Anchor hatch covers
4. Move to maximum davit height, fasten cables
5. Unplug davits/lifts
6. Turn off outside electricity to davits
7. For our Boston Whaler: put in main plug on boat (take out other plugs)
8. Tighten down davit locks
9. Tie down boat with dock lines

Hurricane & Tropical Storm

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Advisory

National Hurricane Center (Atlantic)

Active tropical cyclones in the Atlantic, Caribbean, and the Gulf of Mexico

Tropical Storm EARL Public Advisory Number 39-Issued at 1100 PM EDT FRI SEP 03 2010

Tropical Storm EARL Forecast/Advisory Number 39-Issued at 0300 UTC SAT SEP 04 2010

Tropical Storm EARL Forecast Discussion Number 39-Issued at 1100 PM EDT FRI SEP 03 2010

Tropical Storm EARL Wind Speed Probabilities Number 39-Issued at 0300 UTC SAT SEP 04 2010

Tropical Storm EARL Graphics-

Tropical Storm EARL 5-Day Uncertainty Track Image

5-Day Uncertainty Track last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:33:08 GMT

Tropical Storm EARL 34-Knot Wind Speed Probabilities

Wind Speed Probabilities last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:09:31 GMT

Tropical Storm EARL Probabilistic Storm Surge Graphics-

Tropical Storm EARL Probabilistic Storm Surge Graphics Image

Tropical Depression FIONA 5-Day Uncertainty Track Image

5-Day Uncertainty Track last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:33:42 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA 34-Knot Wind Speed Probabilities

Wind Speed Probabilities last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:09:55 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA 5-Day Track, Uncertainty Cone, Warnings (.shp)-GIS Data last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:32:56 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA Best Track Information (.shp)-GIS Data last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:31:23 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA Best Track Information (.kmz)-GIS Data last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 02:31:23 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA Forecast Information (.shp)-GIS Data last updated Fri, 03 Sep 2010 20:33:56 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA Wind Speed Probabilities - 0.5 Degree Multiple Basins (.shp)-GIS Data last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:11:12 GMT

Tropical Depression FIONA Wind Speed Probabilities - 0.1 Degree Multiple Basins (.shp)-GIS Data last updated Sat, 04 Sep 2010 03:11:10 GMT

Atlantic Tropical Weather Outlook-
000
ABNT20 KNHC 032353
TWOAT
TROPICAL WEATHER OUTLOOK
NWS TPC/NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER MIAMI FL
800 PM EDT FRI SEP 3 2010

FOR THE NORTH ATLANTIC...CARIBBEAN SEA AND THE GULF OF MEXICO...

THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER IS ISSUING ADVISORIES ON HURRICANE
EARL...LOCATED ABOUT 155 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF NANTUCKET
MASSACHUSETTS...AND ON RECENTLY DOWNGRADED TROPICAL DEPRESSION
FIONA...LOCATED ABOUT 100 MILES SOUTH-SOUTHWEST OF BERMUDA.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS HAVE INCREASED IN ASSOCIATION WITH THE
REMNANT LOW OF GASTON...WHICH IS LOCATED ABOUT HALFWAY BETWEEN THE
CAPE VERDE ISLANDS AND THE LESSER ANTILLES. ENVIRONMENTAL
CONDITIONS ARE CONDUCIVE FOR GRADUAL DEVELOPMENT...AND A TROPICAL
DEPRESSION COULD RE-FORM DURING THE NEXT COUPLE OF DAYS AS THE
SYSTEM MOVES WESTWARD AT AROUND 10 MPH. THERE IS A HIGH CHANCE
...60 PERCENT...OF THIS SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE AGAIN
DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS.

SHOWERS AND THUNDERSTORMS ASSOCIATED WITH AN AREA OF LOW PRESSURE
LOCATED BETWEEN THE WEST COAST OF AFRICA AND THE CAPE VERDE ISLANDS
HAVE CHANGED LITTLE THIS EVENING. ENVIRONMENTAL CONDITIONS APPEAR
MARGINALLY CONDUCIVE FOR SOME SLOW DEVELOPMENT DURING THE NEXT
COUPLE OF DAYS. THERE IS A MEDIUM CHANCE...30 PERCENT...OF THIS
SYSTEM BECOMING A TROPICAL CYCLONE DURING THE NEXT 48 HOURS AS IT
MOVES NORTHWESTWARD NEAR 10 MPH.

ELSEWHERE...TROPICAL CYCLONE FORMATION IS NOT EXPECTED DURING THE
NEXT 48 HOURS.

$$
FORECASTER ROBERTS/BRENNAN

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