September
10th marks peak season for hurricane development in the Atlantic Ocean and Gulf
of Mexico. Many people living along or near the East and Gulf Coasts of the United
States should really consider creating a disaster plan for their families and
themselves if you already don’t have one!
The
first step for hurricane preparations would be to plan different routes if you
and your family had to be evacuated for an approaching hurricane or tropical
storm. Deciding to evacuate can be a difficult decision and typically has to be
made within a short time span. Traffic pile-ups often sway an individual’s
decision on whether to evacuate or not, which is why planning a route is
beneficial to avoid horrible traffic jams. Also, planning a safe destination,
whether in a hotel or other family member’s home, is vital for a successful
evacuation. This ensures you and your family’s safety when you finally arrive
at the preplanned location.
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Figure 1 www.nytimes.com (Damage Hurricane Ike)
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Creating
a survival kit is another must if you are in a disaster (hurricane or not!)
prone area. During severe weather events, many homes and businesses lose their
power, which means one has to plan their food choices and water supply accordingly.
The American Red Cross’s website offers lists of various supplies that are
necessary to include in you survival kit. The first list includes the most
basic supplies that are highly recommended, and also include secondary lists
that would be beneficial to you and your family’s needs. It is highly suggested
that you check out the American Red Cross’ website and create a survival kit
just in case of an event of a disaster (or hurricane).
Taking
inventory of your household items is another suggestion you might want to
consider while preparing for a hurricane/tropical storm for insurance reasons.
By doing this, you are providing pictures of your home and personal belongings
before the disaster has occurred. After the storm has passed, you can take
pictures of your items and home after the storm, and present them to your insurance
company. This helps you while you inventory the aftermath, and shows the
insurance companies the actual damages from the storm.
One
of the last tasks one should remember is covering all your windows or opening
to your home. Hurricane shutters are ideal in this situation, but not many
homes or businesses have access to them. Boarding up windows with wood is an
alternative that could help protect your home as well. Placing sandbags around
your home is another way to provide damage prevention to help block possible
flooding and storm surge.
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Figure 2: Ramanathan | Aug 29, 2012 (Isaac) http://www.ibtimes.com
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Finally
if you are a pet owner, please do not forget your pet(s)! They too need to be
included in your disaster plan because not all hotels are “pet friendly”, and
pets also need necessary supplies, such as water and food.
Hurricanes
and tropical storms are only two disasters out of many that can occur. Every household,
no matter your location, should make plans for disasters. Businesses also
should consider having disaster plans to protect themselves and their faculty.
A disaster can happen at any time, so it is better to be prepared for when it
happens!
Current MSL pressure analysis from the SPC Mesoanalysis shows the deepening low pressure of 984 hPa located over north-central Illinois progressing northwestward. The black lines (known as isobars, or lines of equal pressure) along the western side of the storm are seen very close to one another; this indicates winds at the surface are beginning to strengthen. Wind speeds of 53 mph have been reported at the Davenport, IA airport. Of course, cold air associated with these gusty winds has allowed for heavy snowfall to occur, prompting blizzard conditions in Iowa and Wisconsin (MCD 2193).
