Hurricanes are rotating storms that form over warm waters, reaching wind speeds of 74 miles per hour or more, and generates heavy rain, a rise in water levels, flooding, and even tornadoes (1).
In Texas, hurricane season begins on the first day of June and runs until the end of November with peak storm activity occurring between August through October (2). Texas is no stranger to hurricanes as the state has been hit by 54 hurricanes ranging from category 1 to category 4 (3). With these damaging tropical storms making landfall so often in Texas, it is good to always stay prepared in case of one storm becoming an emergency situation.
Preparedness begins with getting educated about the two types of alerts that can come from a hurricane: a watch and a warning. A hurricane watch is issued when a tropical storm with winds of up to 74 miles per hour poses a possible threat. A hurricane warning is issued when hurricane conditions are expected in the area and is usually announced 36 hours before landfall to allow for time to prepare or evacuate (4). Throughout the hurricane season, stay up to date with local weather conditions to be aware of any storm activity that could occur.
If a hurricane is expected to make landfall and a warning is issued, then there are multiple things you can do to prepare yourself and your property.
- Make an emergency kit with water, non-perishable food, flashlight, battery-powered radio, first aid kit, and important documents like birth certificates and passports.
- Any outdoor items that could fly or wash away should be moved inside.
- Fill your car up with gas to use as a power source if power is lost or in case of evacuation.
- Prepare an evacuation route and if evacuation is not possible, designate a place on your property with no windows as a shelter. See Together Against the Weather’s Evacuation Maps to search for your evacuation route based on zip code.
____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sources: