August begins the most active time of Atlantic hurricane season, with the climatological peak on September 12 marking the halfway point, all the more reason to take precautions and stay prepared, it’s far from over yet.
The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season will reach midpoint this week
On September 12, the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season will reach its climatological peak, marking the halfway point of the season, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.
As of Sunday, there have been 12 named storms so far this year. Over half a million people were still without power in Louisiana, according to poweroutage.us. On Labor Day, the National Weather Service had issued flash flood watches for parts of southern Louisiana and southern Mississippi as thunderstorms were forecast over the already inundated area. These thunderstorms were forecast by the NWS to persist until at least midweek.
Staying prepared for hurricane season
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 until November 30. September 12 marks the halfway point, which means there are roughly 3 more months to go as of this writing.
Not only is it important to get prepared for potentially severe weather, tornadoes, and flooding, but it’s important to not let your guard down and stay prepared.
Key preparations for hurricane season
- Have a shelter in place plan. Designate a “safe place” where you and your family will shelter during severe weather. If you have small children, it is a good idea to practice going to your safe place more than once so that they will act automatically if the time comes.
- Have an evacuation plan. If staying at home will not be safe, such as during a flood risk, you need to know in advance where you will go. Be aware of potential shelters in your area. Your evacuation plan also needs to include a list of what items you will be taking with you.
- Have a communications plan. Being able to keep in touch with all your family members during a weather emergency is vital. In the best scenario, you want to have a cell phone for every member of your family. More info on cell phone plan deals below. At the very least, designate a contact who is already in a safe zone, perhaps a family member or friend that everyone can communicate through as a central hub.
For more information, check out these resources:
CDC emergency preparedness and response
Ready.Gov
Red Cross disaster preparedness
There are four key items you should have available at all times:
- A cell phone. This is your lifeline. Make sure you have a phone plan that gives you wide coverage, especially if you live in a rural area. You don’t want to find yourself unable to get a signal in the middle of an emergency. Now’s a good time to do a search for “cell phone plan deals near me” before disaster strikes.
- A weather radio. In a disaster, the electricity is likely to go out. However, you still need to know what’s happening. A battery-powered, hand-crank, and/or solar weather radio will keep you updated on conditions in your area.
- A minimum three-day supply of food and water for each member of your family and pets. You’ll need one gallon of water per person per day.
- Medicine and first-aid kit. Make sure you have at least a three-day supply (or more) of necessary medicines for all people and pets in your household. A first aid kit is also vital, as a disaster could make it difficult to get medical help.
