August: look out you must

 

# 3622

 

Mariner’s Poem On Hurricanes

June too soon.
July stand by.
August look out you must.
September remember.
October all over.

- Published in “Weather Lore” by R. Inwards in 1898

 

Although not completely accurate (we sometimes see hurricanes in June, July, and November!) this mariner’s poem reminds us that August and September are the prime months for tropical storms and hurricanes.

 

While it’s been a quiet year so far in the Atlantic basin, and the forecast number of storms has been recently reduced, even relatively slow hurricane years can leave a lasting impact.

 

In 1992, a year that saw only 4 hurricanes form, the first hurricane of the year struck south Florida on August 24th.  

 

His name was Andrew, and he was a Category 5 storm.

 

Hopefully we won’t be dealing with anything nearly as intense as this 175mph monster, but that’s the gamble each year during hurricane season . . .  we might.

 

Right now, we are watching 3 areas of the Atlantic.  A tropical depression about mid-way between Africa and the Leeward islands, a disturbance over Puerto Rico, and a pretty impressive wave trailing the depression.

It may very well be that none of these weather systems develop, or threaten land – although some long-range models are suggesting the eastern seaboard needs to keep an eye out late next week.

 

The point is, the next 8 weeks are prime-time during hurricane season.   If you live in a vulnerable area (and that can be hundreds of miles inland) along the Gulf or Atlantic coast, you need to be making sure your preparations are in order.

 

Many people, particularly in Florida, mistakenly think they’ve been through a hurricane because they rode out a minor storm, or were on the fringes of a bigger storm sometime in the past.  

 

The truth is, until you’ve been in the eye wall of an Andrew, or the core of a Charlie, you really haven’t seen what a major cane can do. 

 

And of course, if that happens, it is too late to think about preparedness.   The time to prepare, is now.  Before the storm.

 

 

FEMA’s 2009 Hurricane Preparedness Page give you a great deal of information on getting ready for the next big storm.

 

Today would be a good day to visit.

 

 

 

Are You Prepared?

• Are you Ready?
• Private Sector: Your Role In Emergency Management

 

Protect Your Family

You can begin this process by gathering family members and making sure each person is well-informed on potential hazards and community plans. Discuss with them what you would do if family members are not home when a warning is issued.

• Get informed
  • Learn about damaging and potentially deadly hurricane hazards
  • Know your hurricane terms
  • What to do during a hurricane
• Plan for emergencies
  • Evacuation plans
  • Family communications
  • Utility shut-off and safety
  • Safety skills
• Assemble a disaster supplies kit
• Effectively shelter
• Get your children involved (kids site)
• Special needs & concerns
  • People with Disabilities and Other Special Needs Brochure (PDF 328KB, TXT 18KB)
• Care for pets and livestock
  • Preparing Your Pets for Emergencies Brochure (PDF 2MB, TXT 13KB)

Protect Your Property or Business

Hurricanes cause heavy rains and become tropical systems that can also cause extensive flood damage in coastal and inland areas. Everyone is at risk and should consider flood insurance protection. Flood insurance is the only way to financially protect your property or business from flood damage.

 

Flood insurance is affordable and available through nearly 100 insurance companies in more than 21,000 participating communities nationwide.  To learn more about your flooding risk and how to protect yourself and your business, visit the NFIP Web site, www.floodsmart.gov or call 1-800-427-2419.

• Additional measures to protect your property from flooding
• Protect your property from high winds
• Insurance and vital records
• Protecting business records and inventory (PDF 197KB, TXT 7KB)