By Matt Wiley
Hurricane season 2015 officially started on June 1, but the Atlantic basin already has seen one named storm, so it’s important to stay prepared throughout the season. Here’s our exclusive guide to staying ready for the summer (and fall) storms in Wesley Chapel.
On May 27, NOAA (the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration) released its official predictions for the 2015 Hurricane Season, which runs through November 30. NOAA scientists predict a 70-percent chance of a “below-normal season,” with 6-11 named storms, 3-6 of which potentially could become hurricanes, with 0-2 of those potentially becoming major storms of Category 3 (sustained winds of more than 111 mph) or greater.
“A below-normal season doesn’t mean we’re off the hook,” says NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan, Ph.D., referring to the 1992 season in which only seven named storms formed, yet the first was Andrew – a Category 5 major hurricane that devastated South Florida. “As we’ve seen before, below-normal seasons can still produce catastrophic impacts to communities.”
NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center’s lead seasonal hurricane forecaster Gerry Bell, Ph.D., says that the presence of El Niño (a periodic weather pattern that results in more dry air in the Atlantic and Caribbean basins) is expected to help suppress the number of named storms this season.
“El Niño may also intensify as the season progresses, and is expected to have its greatest influence during the peak months of the (hurricane) season,” Bell says. “We also expect sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic to be close to normal, whereas warmer waters would have supported (more) storm development.”
The New Tampa & Wesley Chapel areas remained relatively unscathed last hurricane season. However, it only takes one storm to have a devastating effect on an area, and the first step to weathering the storm is preparation. Knowing whether or not your home lies in a known flood plain or is regularly subject to severe winds is a must.
Gimme’ Shelter!
According to Pasco County Emergency Management (PCEM), this season, there will be eight hurricane shelters in the Wesley Chapel area, and it’s important to know which ones are closest to your community, especially if your home is not equipped with hurricane shutters or there isn’t enough time to board up windows when a storm kicks up quickly.
Wesley Chapel’s shelters include Double Branch Elementary (31500 Chancey Rd.), New River Elementary (4710 River Glen Blvd.), Seven Oaks Elementary (27633 Mystic Oak Blvd.), Thomas E. Weightman Middle School (30649 Wells Rd.), Veterans Elementary (26940 Progress Pkwy.), Watergrass Elementary (32750 Overpass Rd.), Wesley Chapel High (30651 Wells Rd.) and Wiregrass Ranch High (2909 Mansfield Blvd.), which also serves as a special needs shelter.
Always be sure to check to see if a shelter is open before going there by calling PCEM at (727) 847-8959 or by visiting PascoEmergencyManagement.com.
Stock Up Early
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) recommends putting together a basic emergency supply kit. Most everything for the kit can be found at local grocery and wholesale stores, such as the two Publix Super Markets locations (in the Shoppes at New Tampa shopping plaza on BBD and Hollybrook shopping plaza at the corner of BBD and S.R. 54), or the Sam’s Club located off S.R. 56 at the southern tip of Seven Oaks.
FEMA recommends that the kit should include (but doesn’t have to be limited to) one gallon of water per person per day for at least three days, a three-day supply of non-perishable food with a can opener, a battery-powered weather radio, flashlights with extra batteries, a First-Aid kit, dust masks, an emergency whistle, as well as moist towelettes, large and small garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation and basic personal hygiene supplies.
Other recommended items include at least a two-week supply of prescription medicines and glasses, pet supplies (if necessary), family documents (proof of insurance, IDs, passports, bank records), cash, sleeping bags or blankets for each person and board games to keep kids busy. Remember, if the power goes out, it’s back to the Stone Age when the batteries for those high-tech electronics run out.
And, don’t forget a large cooler, which is perfect for stockpiling ice (at least for a little while) during a storm. If you have the means, a generator with a few gallons of gas, which also can come in handy for your vehicle, can also power basic electronics if the power remains out for an extended period of time.
For more information about the 2013 hurricane season and preparations, please visit NHC.NOAA.Gov and FEMA’s Ready.Gov.
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