Abnormally cool weather has provided southeast Louisiana with a delightful spring, but with the mercury expected to rise to potentially 90 degrees as early as this weekend, summer is firing its opening salvo.
The sweaters have been shelved and now all eyes, brimming with angst and trepidation, are cast toward the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean hoping Mother Nature will spare the Louisiana of yet another round of catalytic destruction.
For the next six anxiety-filled months nightly weather forecasts, particularly tropical updates, will become our own reality TV. Hurricane tracking maps will be as important as the kids’ soccer schedules and carpool rotations.
Although June 1 is the official start of the hurricane season, a tropical depression that formed in the Pacific Ocean last week was a palpable reminder that it’s never too early to begin storm preparations.
Forecasters are predicting what they term an “active” season, with 16 named storms, eight hurricanes and four of the dreaded “major” storms, meaning Category 3 and above. Of those four, three are expected to make landfall somewhere along the United States coastline.
Weather pundits blame the predicted increased activity on warmer waters in the Atlantic Ocean. Also fueling the dire
prediction is El Nino, which keeps Gulf Coast states protected during hurricane season, will not be a significant factor,
thereby opening the gates for any storm that may enter the Gulf.
Of course, predictions are only guesses, and without doubt those forecasts will change throughout the season. But as we have learned from experience, one landfall is one too many.
Local residents should immediately begin hurricane preparations, well before a storm beckons. Use this time to carefully map an evacuation route in case one is required. Memories of clogged highways and stranded motorists from recent years are all too vivid.
Also, stock your vehicle with whatever emergency supplies may be required if an evacuation is called, including a list of important phone numbers and road maps.
Equally as important is a checklist of necessary supplies at your residence, such as batteries, water, canned goods and gas for a generator if
applicable. Do not wait until a hurricane has South Louisiana in its crosshairs to begin preparations. Begin now, and avoid the last minute panic shopping that inevitably results in forgotten items.
Above all, pay heed to the advice of emergency officials, who always provide the most up-to-date information.
Hurricane season can be a time of great apprehension, but it is a small price we pay for living in paradise. With proper planning and preparation, hopefully this hurricane season will be a breeze, with the more welcome Brees blowing into town later in the fall.