Hurricane season is off to a dramatic start: this week Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 4 on record in the Atlantic Ocean and the only Category 4 storm in the month of June. Predictions of abnormally warm Atlantic waters spawning more intense and frequent hurricanes this season are absolutely proving accurate. As a lifelong Floridian, I’ve seen my fair share of hurricanes, but I fear the worst is yet to come.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES HIT BY CLIMATE DISASTER
As a kid, I eagerly awaited the hurricane newspaper insert (this was a thing) so I could plot each storm’s path on a grid-lined map. Charting routes fed into the indescribable energy of an approaching storm.
But now, as an adult, and in a quickly warming world where hurricanes thrive in a new way, the pre-storm energy comes with an added layer of stress. What was once the naive excitement of eating cold Spaghetti-O’s by candlelight during a power loss has become the sobering reality our lives could be upended.
Fortunately, I’ve never personally experienced a severe impact from a hurricane. Most of my encounters involve “hunkering down.” From a shelter-in-place mandate at my college dorm in Gainesville during 2004’s Hurricane Charley to seeking refuge in my in-laws’ Melbourne laundry room during 2022’s Hurricane Irma, I’ve largely been a lucky bystander. Especially in 2022, when I watched in horror as Hurricane Ian, initially predicted to make historic landfall in my hometown of Tampa, veered south and hit Punta Gorda as a deadly Category 5 storm.
Still, my lived experiences offer a perspective that fellow moms and those experiencing their first hurricane season may find helpful. These are my tips, but keep in mind that I’m no hurricane expert. I encourage you to get your facts from Red Cross, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), and public health experts at Johns Hopkins. You can also check out Moms’ fact sheets: Health Impacts of Hurricanes, Hurricane Preparedness 101, and Flooding 101.
1. Know your evacuation zone and plan where you’ll go.
Flooding is widely considered the most dangerous part of a hurricane. Rely on flood zone maps to clearly identify areas at risk. The motto “Hide from wind, run from water” means if you’re in a flood zone, you need to get out of there. Storm surge—when coastal waters rise abnormally—is the leading cause of hurricane-related deaths.
Another way to determine flood risk is to search online for local evacuation zones.
Once you know your zone, plan where you’ll go. Aim to travel the shortest distance to a safe place. Whether it’s a shelter, a family or friend’s home, or a hotel, it’s typically better to stay close to home in a safe spot than travel hundreds of miles to escape the storm entirely. Plus, driving farther than necessary can jam interstates and cause gasoline shortages.
Extreme wind is also a significant threat, especially for those living in mobile homes, so stay tuned to local news broadcasts for wind-related evacuation orders—and take them seriously.
2. Tune in to your local meteorologist.
Hurricane season is when local meteorologists truly shine. Their intimate understanding of the local geography allows them to accurately predict the storm’s impacts. By comparison, national news outlets tend to show the worst-case scenario. Not everyone in the storm’s path will face such devastation, but national broadcasts are necessary for highlighting a storm’s potential danger. They can also induce unnecessary panic.
I prioritize my local weather team—shout out to Denis Phillips from ABC Action News Tampa Bay—and balance their insights with the national perspective for a comprehensive view of the situation. The National Hurricane Center issues timely updates, providing the most current information on a storm’s path and intensity.
3. Avoid bad advice (a.k.a. What you won’t find in most hurricane prep lists).
Hurricane prep can be chaotic. Everyone means well, but you encounter bad advice and unexpected situations during hurricane season. Here are a few things I’ve seen in recent years that deserve a mention, especially as a mom.
- Potable water: For those of us concerned about reducing plastic consumption, being told to stock up on bottled water can cause inner conflict. Greener alternatives exist, like filling various containers with water instead of buying plastic bottles. Keep in mind that using existing reusable water bottles works if they’re properly cleaned, but filling bathtubs with water—I saw this suggested on social media—is not advisable because tubs are unhygienic and could pose a drowning hazard for children.
- Vacation days: Even if the storm is not headed directly to you, local schools often close for days. Schools frequently serve as shelters for evacuees from flood zones, so you can expect kids to miss a few days.
- Generator advice: If you use a generator because of a power outage, be sure it is in a safe location. Generators should never be used indoors, including in garages, because there is a risk of carbon monoxide poisoning, which can be fatal within minutes! For proper generator use, refer to FEMA’s guidelines.
These days, my boys follow storms on their tablets instead of plotting them on newspaper maps. They eat bags of chips instead of cold Spaghetti-O’s. Some things have changed, but pre-storm energy can still be intense and overwhelming.
It’s natural to feel anxious, but it’s crucial to channel that energy into productive preparedness rather than panic. Take the expert advice seriously, and remember, being ready is your best defense against the unpredictability of hurricane season.
TELL CONGRESS: SUPPORT MENTAL WELLNESS RESOURCES FOR COMMUNITIES HIT BY CLIMATE DISASTER