Severe weather readiness
All signs point to an active hurricane season. Get ready now.
Virginia’s Severe Weather Awareness Week begins Monday, and emergency management officials on the local and state level will be amplifying critical information to protect people during tornadoes. It’s a valuable effort given the sudden destruction twisters can cause.
Yet, in thinking about the threat of severe weather, our region’s focus drifts easily to the summer and what’s expected to be a very active — and therefore very dangerous — Atlantic hurricane season. There are steps area residents can take, even now, to protect lives and property, and it’s best to do them long before a storm comes barreling into town.
The Virginia Department of Emergency Management holds its Severe Weather Awareness Week in concert with local governments to prepare residents for the threat of tornadoes and very strong thunderstorms that frequently sweep across the commonwealth in spring.
Its purpose is to help Virginians understand the alerts issued in advance of powerful storms and what to do should a tornado or flash flooding threaten their communities. It culminates in a statewide tornado drill on Thursday at 9:45 a.m. Visit vaemergency.gov/severe-weather-awareness for more information.
VDEM urges families to have an emergency plan in case of a natural disaster, as well as an evacuation plan should the need arise due to flooding or other weather-related danger. But for Hampton Roads, there’s another reason to heed officials’ recommendations to be ready for severe weather.
There are still three months before the
start of the Atlantic hurricane season but meteorologists are already warning that this year could be extremely active. While Hampton Roads is no stranger to tropical weather — our region’s location all but assures it — these ominous forecasts should have area residents and government officials readying themselves for the worst. Hope alone won’t protect us should a major hurricane slam into the coast, and there’s no substitute for smart preparation.
When mild, and even cool, temperatures abound, it’s hard to think ahead to
the sweltering days of summer. But as February turns to March, the start of the hurricane season on June 1 draws ever closer — and recent years have seen tropical systems organize and strengthen well before that date.
Last year saw an unusually active hurricane season as the Atlantic produced 20 named storms, the fourth-most since 1950. A powerful El Niño trade wind pattern served as the East Coast’s protector, shredding even the most powerful storms before they could threaten coastal communities.
This year could be very different. Atlantic sea temperatures are already 2 degrees Fahrenheit above average, setting the stage for summer conditions conducive to storm formation. And meteorologists predict El Niño will shift into a La Niña pattern, which would propel, rather than impede, tropical systems toward the coast.
Conditions are prone to change, of course, and these are preliminary predictions to be revised closer to the start of hurricane season. However, there are steps that Hampton Roads residents should take to be prepared should the worst scenarios come to pass.
That begins with purchasing flood insurance for homes and businesses since regular policies will not protect those assets from flood damage. Policies take 30 days to take effect, so don’t wait until June to contact an insurance agent about coverage. Find more information about the National Flood Insurance Program at floodsmart. org.
It’s also important to “Know Your Zone,” which is the evacuation protocol Virginia uses to efficiently move people out of harm’s way based on greatest risk. Look up your evacuation zone by address at vaemergency.gov/know-your-zone.
Finally, it’s always smart to have on hand a supply of food, water (plan for one gallon per person per day for three to five days and don’t forget your pets), and emergency supplies such as a weather radio, batteries, flashlights and a first aid kit.
As Virginians ready themselves for the threat of severe weather, coastal residents must not ignore the likelihood of a worrisome hurricane season ahead. Preparation now will pay dividends later.