Community Corner

NOAA: Have a Plan, Be Prepared This Hurricane Season

With Sandy fresh in the minds of many, the National Hurricane Center suggests being ready now as hurricane season begins.

This story was written by Scott P. Moore, and posted by Judy Mottl.

The Atlantic Hurricane Season kicked off on June 1 and with the National Hurricane Center forecasting an average to above-average season of tropical cyclones, the advice from meteorologists is simple: have a ready and be prepared.

While many along the south shore and throughout Long Island are still reeling from the effects of the "superstorm," Hurricane Sandy, the National Weather Service notes now is the time to have things in order in case the worst case scenario happens again.

"Every coastal community from Atlantic Canada to the U.S. east and Gulf Coast, to Latin America and across the Caribbean is vulnerable to these massive storms," said James Franklin, Hurricane Specialist Unit Branch Chief at the National Hurricane Center. "It only takes one storm hitting your community to make it a bad year for you."

The best thing, meteorologists at the National Hurricane Center say, is plan well before the storm arrives – and even well before it even develops in the Atlantic.

Stacy Stewart, Senior Hurricane Specialist at the NHC, said families should know their homes vulnerabilities to flooding, storm surge and wind, have an evacuation plan ready and have a disaster supply kit ready to go.

Understanding the storms


With last year's storm surge from Hurricane Sandy being the biggest destructive force on Long Island, watches and warnings from the National Hurricane Center and National Weather Service will become more important as the season progresses and potential storms are forecasted.

Hurricanes are given categories by their interior sustained wind speed just outside of the "eye" and expected damage to structures on the Saffir-Simpson Scale :
  • Tropical Storm: 39 to 73 mph
  • Category 1: 74-95 mph
  • Category 2: 96-110 mph
  • Category 3: 111-129 mph
  • Category 4: 130-156 mph
  • Category 5: 157 mph and above
All hurricanes given Category 3 status or above are considered "major" hurricanes.

Along with those powerful winds come tremendous storm surges, which can affect an area even if the storm is not directly aimed at it, as many on Long Island saw last October. Much of Long Island, according to storm surge maps provided by SUNY Suffolk, would be in trouble during a major hurricane strike on Long Island.

Sandy, a Category 2 storm during its height in our area, produced a surge of around five feet on the average in the Town of Babylon. However, a stronger storm, such as a Category 3 or 4, could produce larger surges across a much bigger area.

What to have to be prepared


The National Weather Service advises all families to have a bag ready to go in case they need to evacuate their area and suggest no one in an evacuation zone stay around to "ride the storm out."

The NHC suggests having a plan to determine where to head inland during a storm and knowing official locations for shelters, which are usually released in the days leading up to a landfall.

The evacuation bag, usually shown as a duffle-type bag, should include emergency equipment such as batteries, flashlights, a weather radio and chargers, as well as non-perishables like water and canned foods. First aid kits and any documentation such as your home's deed and birth certificates are also great to keep with you.

Keeping you alert


As a hurricane or tropical storm approaches an area, the National Hurricane Center, along with the National Weather Service, will issue watches and warnings to help keep residents in the storm's path on top of the latest updates. In general, a warning is considered more urgent than a watch, with a potential strike in the listed area.

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Watches are issued within 48 hours in advance of a storm's landfall, advising residents in the path to be ready. A Warning is issued 36 hours in advance of a storm.

As always, the National Weather Service advises the public to keep an eye on news media outlets, including Patch, for the latest details on any approaching storm during this upcoming hurricane season.


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