If you are like me, then you area year older than you were lastyear. We can only hope thatwe are wiser in life, and in hur-ricane preparation! Last hurri-cane season gave us concernwith Hurricane Isaac whichpassed south of the area andwent to Louisiana. We still hadflooding along the Alabama-Mississippi state line.

The northeast got a large and powerful hybrid hurricane,named Sandy. Like all storms, Sandy had lessons for all of us.While we know that you can’t just compare an incoming stormto past storms, the largest lesson from Sandy was never judgea hurricane or tropical storm by a single factor. Sandy wasunique in that it was a very broad storm. If you remember thevideo of the homes on fire in New York City in the midst of thestorm, it was a very clear lesson that a single failure, within asingle home, easily can impact neighbors. It was fire in theQueens community of Breezy Point, but it could have just aseasily been roofing or unsecured boats. With hurricanes, weare all in it together.

Another lesson from Sandy is when a storm makes landfallin a location that has not seen landfall in decades, develop-ment and infrastructure can make the impact much greaterthan what we expect, based on past storms. Sandy taught usthat even when gas stations have plenty of fuel, without

electricity the pumps don’t work. This is why we stress youshould keep your gas tank full, when there’s any threat of anincoming storm.

So, now that we are all older, and wiser, let’s do the smartthings like being sure our homes, workplaces, and communi-ties have a safety plan for the threats of tropical storms andhurricanes. Whether it is wind, storm surge, tornadoes, orflooding, preparing now saves headache and backache later.Preparation also saves dollars. Do the basics of keeping upwith the forecast and listening carefully to what the level ofthreat is from the various components of a tropical storm orhurricane. Get a weather radio; download our free smartphone weather app; and keep batteries and an emergencysupply kit at the ready. There are so many tips to rememberthat we all forget after a couple of quiet seasons so checkwkrg.com in the weather section for more.

As we move forward through the hurricane season, you’ll heardaily and weekly outlooks with possibilities and probabilities.I always say that in nature, anything is possible, but it’s theprobability that makes up a forecast. There’s never a guaran-tee of storm behavior but in my wise, old years, I can guaran-tee that some people will do little to prepare, or they will waituntil the last minute. Others will not follow orders to get outof the way of harm. Don’t be that person that we interviewafter the storm who says, “I didn’t think it was going to be thatbad. Next time I’ll listen and start earlier!”

Alan Sealls, Chief Meteorologist, WKRG-TV

Welcome

AndreaBarry

ChantalDorian

ErinFernandGabrielleHumberto

IngridJerryKaren

LorenzoMelissaNestorOlgaPablo

RebekahSebastien

TanyaVan

Wendy

2013 Atlantic Tropical Storm

and Hurricane Names

Past Local Tropical SystemsThese tropical systems have impacted the News 5 area in the last gener-ation. Some made a direct hit with tremendous consequences, whileothers passed to our south or arrived as downgraded systems. Many hadeffects only felt in a portion of our area whether it was surge, tornadoes,flooding, or high wind. Most of the dates listed are for landfall whileother dates may be for when an inland storm moved into our area fromthe west or east. The hurricanes, listed in bold, are plotted on the mapon page 12.

2012, August 28, Hurricane Isaac2011, September 4, Tropical Storm Lee2009, November 10, Tropical Storm Ida2008, September 13, Hurricane Ike

2008, September 1, Hurricane Gustav2008, August 23, Tropical Storm Fay

2007, September 21, Tropical Depression 102005, August 29, Hurricane Katrina

2005, July 10, Hurricane Dennis

2005, July 6, Tropical Storm Cindy2005, June 11, Tropical Storm Arlene

2004, September 16, Hurricane Ivan2002, September 14, Tropical Storm Hanna

2001, June 11, Tropical Storm Allison1998, September 28, Hurricane Georges

1997, July 19, Hurricane Danny1995, October 4, Hurricane Opal1995, August 3, Hurricane Erin

Look at these three forecast cone images from the NationalHurricane Center, for Isaac in 2012. Each is 48 hours apart.They give a lot of information in the image and in the leg-ends but some is often misinterpreted or overlooked.These cones are what we base our cone forecasts on atNews 5. The cone shows where the center of the storm ispredicted to be in time. It’s constructed by using computermodels and forecast experience. The cone accounts for abunch of individual forecast positions and tracks which youoften see online as “spaghetti plots” but it’s not just a sim-ple average or majority that gives the forecast.

All forecasts become less certain with time, that’s why thecone gets bigger with time. In a perfect forecast the stormwould travel right down the middle of the cone but no fore-cast is perfect. Some are pretty close but meteorologistsare far from fully understanding hurricanes.

If you study the 3 forecasts for Isaac, you’ll notice the coneshifts. That’s not unusual and it’s not a matter of someonechanging their mind. The cone shifts because new informa-tion gives updated and usually better data than what theprevious forecast used.

It might seem that the cone for the Mobile area getssmaller in time. It does! The reason for that is there ismore certainty to where a storm will end up when it is aday away vs. 5 days away. The reality is the cone is notshrinking, it is moving with the storm. It may also appearsmaller or bigger given the adjustment to the map view asa storm nears land.

For a fast-moving storm the cone will be elongated, whilefor a very slow storm the cone may be more of a circle.

In these Isaac forecast cones, landfall was within or right onthe edge of the cone for the 5 days leading up to it. That’sthe purpose of the cone; to let an area know that landfall ispossible, with a more precise projection leading up to it.

51

Hurricane Forecast Cone

Five critical thingsto remember about the cone:

1. The cone projects where the center of a storm is likely to be 2/3 of the time, so 1/3 of the time the center may travel outside the cone.

2. Even with a perfect forecast of a storm staying in the center of the cone, the wind, rain, surge, tornado, and rip current impact of the storm can easily be outside of it.

3. The cone tells you absolutely nothing about the wind speed in a storm or potential storm surge.

4. The cone is updated every 12 hours when a new dataset arrives. Sometimes the change is minor. At other times the cone may change in location or it may stay in the same spot but extend farther out because a storm may be speeding up in motion.

5. The cone for a fading storm will not always go out five days since the storm may not last that long.

• Take pictures of all of your possessions and keep a list of each, along with their serial numbers and value. Copies of these should be in a safe place outside of your home. You can store them on a flash drive or on your cell phone.

• Check your insurance coverage since flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance. National Flood Insurance Program http://www.fema.gov/business/nfip/

• Find out if your home meets current building codes for high winds. Homes that meet or exceed current high-wind standards have a much better chance of standing up. Visit IBHS (Institute for Business and Home Safety) http://www.disastersafety.org/

• Protect all windows by installing commercial shutters orpreparing 5/8 inch plywood panels.

• Purchase a NOAA Weather Radio.

• Reinforce all garage doors. Since they are so large they are frequently the first part of a home to fail in high wind.

• If you do not live in a mobile home or a surge evacuationzone, designate an interior room with no windows or external doors as a “safe room”.

• Stock non-perishable emergency supplies and a disastersupply kit.

• If you can safely store gasoline, do so for your generator,chain saw and even vehicles.

• Invest in solar-powered chargers for your rechargeable batteries and cell phone batteries.

• Ensure that landscaping and trees do not become a wind hazard. Rock and gravel can blow in high wind. Tall trees over and close to your home may fall. Trim the dead, weak, or dangerous overhanging branches from all trees.

• Few mobile or manufactured homes can withstand hurricane force winds. Even if they are tied down you put yourself and family at risk by staying in the threat of high wind.

• Know your neighborhood’s and home’s vulnerability to wind, storm surge, and flooding.

• Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact if you have to evacuate or abandon your home.

• Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate. Check with your county EMA.

• Post emergency telephone numbers by your phones andmake sure your children know how and when to call 911.

• Know the elevation of your property and how it comparesto local floodplain maps. Even if it never flooded before it still can flood because floodplains change over time naturally, and with development.

Preparing your Home for Hurricane SeasonThanks to the National Hurricane Center for many of these tips.

2

Photo courtesy of FEMA, photographer: Jocelyn Augustino

Photo courtesy of FEMA, photographer: Mark Wolfe

3

• In high-risk flood-prone areas, keep materials on hand like sandbags, plywood, plastic sheeting, plastic garbagebags, lumber, shovels, work boots and gloves. Call your county emergency management agency to learn how to construct proper protective measures around your home.

• Be aware of streams, drainage channels and areas known to flood, so that you or your evacuation routes are not cut off. Avoid driving into water of unknown depth.Moving water can quickly sweep your vehicle away.

• Always keep children from playing in flooded areas.

• Remember a Tropical Storm Watch or a Hurricane Watch mean those storms, respectively, may directly make impact within 48 hours.

• Once a Hurricane Warning is issued, it means you should expect the wind or storm surge of a hurricane within 36 hours.

• Secure or bring inside all lawn furniture and other outside objects that could become projectiles in high wind, or float away in flood water. Install your window shutters or plywood panels.

• Listen for safety instructions from local officials.

• Be prepared when the storm strikes to go to your designated “safe room”. Remember that there is little to no wind in the eye of a hurricane so that’s only the halfway point of the wind and rain. Do not leave your safe room until directed to do so by local officials, or until you are 100% certain the worst has passed.

• Avoid using candles that may fall and cause a house fire.

• Watch for debris, and for downed power lines that may still carry current, even after the storm.

• Test drinking water for potability; wells should be pumpedout and the water tested before drinking.

• Do not eat fresh food that has come in contact with floodwaters. Wash canned goods that come in contact with floodwaters with soap and hot water.

• Charge all rechargeable batteries for cell phones, flashlights, radios and other devices.

Photo courtesy of FEMA, photographer: Nicolas Britto

4

• When there is a possibility of a storm getting close, keep your vehicle gas tank full.

• If you live in an evacuation zone and are ordered to evac-uate by state or local officials, get out as quickly as possible.A mandatory evacuation means that if you choose to stay, you are totally on your own and should not expect any rescue or emergency assistance. Realize that your evac-uation zone may have a number but that number does not relate to the category of the storm. Evacuation zones are created based on high threat of surge and/or wind impact.

• Do not wait to evacuate, since that increases the risk of being stuck in traffic, or not being able to get out at all. Expect traffic congestion and much longer travel times than normal to reach your family’s destination.

• While evacuating moves you out of the immediate storm surge or steady high wind threat area, realize that you maystill encounter flooding or tornadoes wherever you go.

• Minimize the distance you travel to reach a safe location; the farther you drive, the higher the likelihood of problemson the roads. It does not have to be hundreds of miles. It just needs to be far enough to get you out of the evacuationarea. In some cases that may mean just driving northward within your county to get out of a storm surge zone, or driving a few miles to stay with a friend in a stronger home. Make sure they know you are coming! Arrange this at the start of the season.

• Do not get on the road without a planned route, or a place to go to. Knowyour local shelter loca-tions and how to get to them. Before leaving, fill your vehicle with gas and get cash from the ATM. Have copies of all impor-tant legal documents for your home and property in case your home is destroyed.

• Contact your local emergency management office to registeror get information regarding anyone in your household who may require special assistance in order to evacuate.

• Prepare a separate pet plan, because most public sheltersdo not accept pets.

• Carry all prescription medicines and special medical items,such as eyeglasses and diapers.

• If your evacuation plan includes a boat, trailer, or RV then leave early.

• Prepare your home before leaving by boarding up doors and windows, securing or moving indoors all yard items, and turning off all utilities.

• Stay tuned to News 5 and our radio partners or wkrg.com for advisories or specific instructions from local officials. Monitor your NOAA Weather Radio.

Evacuation PlanningThanks to the National Hurricane Center for many of these ideas.

Emergency Management OfficesGo to wkrg.com for links to websites or do a search for the office

Jackson County Emergency Management228-769-3111

George County Emergency Management601-947-7557

Mobile County Emergency Management251-460-8000

Washington County Emergency Management251-847-2668

Clarke County Emergency Management251-275-8775

Monroe County Emergency Management251-743-3259

Conecuh County Emergency Management251-578-5911

Escambia County, AL, Emergency Management251-867-0232

Baldwin County Emergency Management251-972-6807 (South Baldwin)251-937-0317 (North Baldwin)251-990-4605 (Eastern Shore)

Escambia County, FL, Division of Emergency Management

850-471-6400

Santa Rosa County Emergency Management850-983-5360

Okaloosa County Emergency Management850-651-7150

Hurricane shelters are your last resort for safety while a stormis moving in. Shelters are for those who must leave theirhomes but don’t have the time or resources to find a comfort-able alternative. Do not expect much to be provided for youbeyond space and a restroom. They may be crowded andnoisy. Shelters are simply to keep you safe until the stormpasses. After the storm, shelters will begin closing. Not allshelters may be open for any given hurricane so listen to uson News 5 and wkrg.com or check your EMA office online orby phone. In extreme cases where shelters fill up, you may beturned away.

What to take to a shelter(courtesy Baldwin County EMA)

Driver’s license or government-issued photo idChange of clothing • Blankets • Sleeping bags • Pillows

Hygiene or sanitary products • SanitizerMedications, prescription & over-the-counter drugs

Eyeglasses • DenturesBaby food/formula, diapers, wipes, teething gel, ointment

Water in plastic containers - 3 day supplyFood & snacks, non-perishable - 3 day supply

Cell phone & charger • Flashlight & extra batteries • KeysBattery powered radio and/or digital TV & extra batteries

Headphones or ear buds for your TV or radioFirst-aid kit • Entertainment (toys, books, games, etc.)

Cash, checkbook, credit cards • Patience and a positive attitude

Important Documents:Social security card • Proof of residence (deed or lease)

Insurance policies • Birth certificate • Marriage certificateStocks, bonds, and other negotiable certificates

Wills, deeds, copies of recent tax returns

After the storm, if you were hit hard the cleanup begins. Itcan be physically and emotionally stressful. Pace yourself, tostay healthy and safe from injury. Make sure you, your friends,and your neighbors are coping well with the disruption. Youmay go days without electricity, clean water, and access tostores and banks. In addition to all the items you would taketo a shelter, here are items you may need after the storm, assuggested by the National Hurricane Center.

Water - at least 1 gallon daily per person for 3 to 7 days

Food - at least enough for 3 to 7 daysnon-perishable packaged or canned food and juices

foods for infants or the elderlysnacks

non-electric can openercooking tools and fuel

paper plates and plastic utensils

Blankets and pillowsClothing, rain gear, sturdy shoes

First Aid Kit, medicines, prescription drugsTelephones - Fully charged cell phone with extra battery and

a traditional (not cordless) telephoneTools for cleanup and repair

Vehicle fuel tanks filled

Pet care itemsproper identification, immunization records and medications

ample supply of food and watera carrier or cagemuzzle and leash

Camera - for documenting losses for insurance purposes, and forsending storm damage pictures to us at News 5!

5

Shelter Tips After the Storm

6

7

Hurricane Shelters in Mobile CountyThese Emergency Mass Care Shelters are not listed in anyorder or priority of opening. Shelters will be opened basedon the situation, as coordinated by the Mobile County EMAand several other agencies. The Medical Needs Shelter atBurns Middle School has specific protocols that must bemet before acceptance will be allowed. All guidelines willbe disseminated prior to the opening of any shelter alongwith location and time of operation.

Baker High School8901 Airport Boulevard, Mobile

Belsaw/Mt. Vernon Elementary School1650 Gertman Circle, Mt. Vernon

Burns Middle School - Medical Needs only6175 Girby Rd., Mobile

Causey Middle School2205 McFarland Rd., Mobile

Collins-Rhodes Elementary School5110 St. Stephens Rd, Eight Mile

LeFlore High School700 Donald St., Mobile

McDavid-Jones Elementary School16250 Hwy 45, Citronelle

North Mobile Middle School1950 Salco Road, Axis

Satsuma High SchoolOne Gator Circle, Satsuma

Semmes Middle School10100 Blackwell Nursery Road, Semmes

Theodore High School6201 Swedetown Road, Theodore

Hurricane Shelters in Baldwin County.Note the type of shelter in each listing. Not all shelters maybe opened for any given storm.

Baldwin County Coliseum - Mass Care/ADPH MedicalNeeds Shelter19477 Fairground Road, Robertsdale(Collocates the general public and individuals with physicalor mental conditions requiring limited medical/nursing oversight as well as individuals who require electricity to sustain life support functions)

Baldwin County Level II Community Shelter - ADPHMedical Needs Shelter207 North White Avenue, Bay Minette(Only for individuals requiring electricity to sustain life support functions)

Baldwin County High School - Mass Care Shelter1 Tiger Drive, Bay Minette

Bay Minette Middle School - Mass Care Shelter1311 West 13th Street, Bay Minette

Central Baldwin Middle School - Senior Citizen Shelter24545 Highway 59 South, Robertsdale(Only for Senior Citizens, aged 55 & over, who are inde-pendent, self-sufficient and who do not have physical ormental conditions requiring medical or nursing oversight)

Daphne East Elementary School - Mass Care Shelter26651 County Road 13, Daphne

Fairhope High School - Mass Care Shelter1 Pirate Drive, Fairhope

Fairhope Satellite Courthouse - Electrical Support Shelter1100 Fairhope Avenue, Fairhope(Only for individuals requiring electricity to sustain life support functions)

Foley Satellite Courthouse - Electrical Support Shelter201 East Section Street, Foley(Only for individuals requiring electricity to sustain life support functions)

8

Shelter Locations

Photo courtesy of US Air Force Photo courtesy of US Army - Coney Island

9

Hurricane Shelters in Escambia County, FloridaAll are in Pensacola except for Northview High School.Not all shelters may be opened for any given storm.

Blue Angels Elementary School1551 Dog Track Road

Ferry Pass Middle School8355 Yancey Avenue

Global Learning Academy100 North P Street

Jim Bailey Middle School4110 Bauer Road

Lipscomb Elementary School10200 Ashton Brosnaham Road

Marie Young Community Center6405 Wagner Road

Molino Park Elementary School- Pet Shelter899 Highway 97

Northview High School4100 West Highway 4, Century

Pensacola Bay Center201 East Gregory Street

Pensacola High School500 West Maxwell Street

Tate High School1771 Tate School Road

University of West Florida11000 University Parkway

Warrington Middle School450 South Old Corry Field Road

West Florida High School - Special Needs ShelterPre-Registration Recommended2400 Longleaf Drive

Hurricane Shelters in Santa RosaCounty, FloridaNot all shelters may be opened for any given storm.

Avalon Middle School- Pet Friendly Shelter5445 King Arthurs Way, Milton

Bennett C. Russell Elementary - Special Needs Shelter3740 Excalibur Way, Milton

Chumuckla Community Center2355 Highway 182, Jay

Jay High School3741 School Road, Jay

Milton Community Center5629 Byrom St, Milton

Sims Middle School5500 Education Dr, Pace

S. S. Dixon School5540 Education Dr, Pace

Shelter Locations

Photo courtesy of FEMA, photographer: Mark Wolfe Photo courtesy of US Coast Guard

Photo courtesy of FEMA, photographer: Mark Wolfe

10

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

You know this scale as the category of a hurricane. It wasnamed after Herbert Saffir, an engineer, and Bob Simpson,a past Director of the National Hurricane Center. This scaledeals with wind but not the size, surge, rain threat, or tor-nado threat of a hurricane. While you may hear a lot of talkabout a hurricane strengthening from one category intoanother, there is far more variation within wind categoriesthat dramatically changes the force of the wind. In otherwords, going from a high category 1 to a low category 2 isnot as big of a change as going from a low category 2 to ahigh category 2.

When wind increases, the force of the wind increases withthe wind speed squared. For example, if wind increasesfrom 60mph to 100mph the force of it nearly triples. This iswhy increases in wind speed create so much more dam-age, especially when gusts and tornadoes are involved.

There is no longer a mention of storm surge in theHurricane Scale because surge is not always directly relat-ed to the landfall wind speed. A hurricane with weakening

wind at landfall may still have a high surge while a hurri-cane with increasing wind at landfall may have a smallstorm surge. Listen carefully for both parts of the story.

A Category 1 hurricane has winds between 74 and 95mph. Damage is minimal but winds are still dangerous.People and animals struck by flying debris could be injured orkilled. Older mobile homes could be destroyed. Some weakframe homes will suffer minor to major damage to roofing,siding, coverings, garage doors, and chimneys. Failure of alu-minum, screened, and pool enclosures can occur. Apartmentbuildings, shopping centers and industrial buildings can loseroofing and siding. Large windows, and windows in high-risebuildings may be broken by flying debris, creating dangereven after the storm. Tree branches may snap and shallow-rooted trees can fall. Damage to power lines and poles willcause power outages likely lasting several days. Danny in1997 was a category one but its biggest problem was fromthe more than 2 feet of rain that fell.

A Category 2 hurricane creates moderate damage withwinds of 96-110 mph. There is risk of injury or death from flying debris. Oldermobile homes have a high risk of being destroyed. Newermobile homes can also be destroyed. Some uncovered win-dows will be broken by impact of debris. Weak framehomes may lose roof structures. Well-constructed framehomes could sustain major roof and siding damage. Failureof aluminum, screened, and pool enclosures will be com-mon. Roof and siding damage to apartments and industrialbuildings will occur. Unreinforced masonry walls can fall.Windows in high-rises can be broken by flying debris, creat-ing a significant danger even after the storm. Commercialsigns, fences, and canopies will be damaged. Many shallow-ly rooted trees will be snapped or uprooted and blockroads. Near-total power loss is expected with outages thatcould last from several days to weeks. Clean water could

Photo courtesy of NASA - Hurricane Earl

Photo courtesy of NASA - Hurricane IvanPhoto courtesy of NASA - Hurricane Isaac

11

become scarce as filtration systems begin to fail. In 1995Erin made landfall as a category 2. In 1998 Georges hit landas a category two, leaving over 2 feet of rain.

A Category 3 hurricane produces damaging wind of 111-129 mph. Category 3 and higher hurricanes are classifiedas “major.”There is a high risk of injury or death from flying debris.Older mobile homes will be destroyed. Newer mobilehomes will be severely damaged. Complete failure of oldermetal buildings and older unreinforced masonry buildingsis likely. Well-built homes will have damage of some sort.Windows will be blown out of high-rises resulting in fallingglass, which will be a threat even after the storm. Mostcommercial signs, fences, and canopies will be destroyed.Trees will be snapped or uprooted, blocking roads.Electricity and water will be unavailable for several days toa few weeks. Opal in 1995, Ivan in 2004 and Dennis in 2005were marginal category 3 at landfall while Frederic in 1979was a high category 3 storm. Katrina in 2005 was also ahigh category 3 at landfall based on the wind even thoughstorm surge along the Mississippi coast was more like thatexpected from a much stronger storm.

A Category 4 hurricane produces extreme damage withwinds of 130-156mph. Widespread damage and destruction of homes and build-ings occurs. Power outages will last for weeks. Water serv-

ice will be out. Hardest hit areas will be uninhabitable forweeks or months. Charley in southwest Florida in 2004 andHugo in South Carolina in 1989 were category 4 hurricanes.

A Category 5 hurricane is catastrophic. The winds exceed156mph.It’s the worst-case scenario. Near-total destruction of entireneighborhoods happens. Months and years of difficultrecovery follow. Camille in 1969 was a category 5 in south-ern Mississippi and so was Andrew in south Florida in 1992.

Photo courtesy of NOAA - Hurricane Katrina eyewall

Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale

There are 4 tropical storms or hurricanes in the above photo from August 30, 2012. Can you pick them out?Kirk and Leslie are in the Atlantic, Isaac is on the Gulf Coast, and Ileana is in the eastern Pacific.

11

WKRG smart phone weather appThe WKRG smart phone weather app is free and powerful. It works onAndroid or iPhone or iPad Touch platforms. See where rain is compared toyour location. It doesn’t matter if you are at home or somewhere else in thecountry. The app displays radar, along with watches and warnings for trop-ical weather and severe weather. It gives you a notification when an alert isissued for where you are. You’ll be able to tell if you are in the alert area. Italso gives satellite, current conditions and the future weather outlook.

The free WKRG weather app is an indispensible tool you need for hurri-cane season and all other months of the year. On wkrg.com, click on“Mobile Apps” in the blue box area.

If you have an older cell phone that only handles text, then you can signup for our free weather text alerts. These are specific to the county or coun-ties that you choose. Find the signup information also on wkrg.com in theblue box area.

12

Tropical Weather DefinitionsA Tropical Wave is a region of low pressure and cloudinessthat moves from east to west in the tropics. These are ausual part of tropical weather just as we talk about highsand lows moving across the US.

A Tropical Disturbance is when thunderstorms developand last for more than a day within a tropical wave. Theseare common.

An Invest is a disturbance that is being investigated by theNational Hurricane Center. Invests have a number for com-puter tracking purposes but they should not be confusedwith a tropical depression that has a different number.

If the tropical disturbance shows a circulation with the thunder-storms becoming organized it is called a Tropical Depressionand given a number for tracking purposes. We show it as theletter “L” on our weather maps. At this point more attentionis given to it as something that may develop further.

If the winds in a tropical depression exceed 38mph itbecomes a Tropical Storm and it is then given a name froma pre-selected list. The winds in a tropical storm may rangefrom 39mph to 73mph.

If the tropical storm increases wind speed to 74mph orgreater it is then called a Hurricane.

A Major Hurricane has winds over 110mph, meaning cate-gory three or higher.

Maximum sustained wind is the highest wind in any part ofa tropical storm or hurricane as measured or, in most cases,estimated. Most parts of a tropical storm or hurricane havea lower wind speed but there are always gusts and some-times tornadoes that further increase the local wind.

Subtropical is used to describe tropical depressions ortropical storms that are a hybrid between tropical and non-tropical. It’s a technical distinction that doesn’t changemuch about the impact at landfall.

Extratropical describes a system that was a tropical stormor hurricane but either merged with a front or regular regionof low pressure. These can maintain strength for a whilebefore fully weakening.

A Watch means a certain type of hazardous weather is pos-sible. Watch and be alert.

A Warning means the hazardous weather is imminent orhappening. Take immediate action.

Photo courtesy of US Coast Guard - Hurricane Ivan

See the names of these hurricanes on the inside front cover.

Photo courtesy of NASA - Hurricane Sandy

Technology,Communications, and

ElectricityWKRG News 5 broadcasts storm information on TV and we alsodo it through text alerts, Tweets, Facebook, wkrg.com, and ourradio partners. All of this technology is limited by your accessto electricity!

With digital TV, if you are watching on satellite you often losethe picture when it is raining very hard. That’s called “rain fade.”If you are watching on cable and the picture goes out it may justbe your cable company. Get a regular antenna so you can justunplug the cable and keep watching the over-the-air digital sig-nal. That assumes you have electricity or a generator. When thepower goes out you need devices with batteries.

Get a small portable digital TV for emergencies. Smaller TVs useless electricity than larger ones and that will help you in extendedpower outages. Once the batteries run down you have to find away to recharge. Most of these TVs will work or charge from a carcigarette lighter but that’s a strain on your vehicle and not safe inthe midst of a storm.

Antennas that are built in to digital TVs are not always strongenough to get all the stations you want. In some communitiesyou will need “rabbit ear” antennas or a roof-mounted antenna.You may have to rescan to search for stations every time youmove a portable TV when you don’t have a strong antenna.

Batteries are a definite weak link with cell phones. When the bat-teries run down and you have no electricity you’re out of luck.Budget your cell phone use. Send texts when you really don’thave to have a conversation. Texting often works when regularcalls don’t go through. A solar charger is a good investment forcell phones and for rechargeable batteries.

Cordless house phones don’t work when there is no electricityso make sure you have one regular corded phone that doesn’trequire batteries. Plug it in when you need it. Landline phoneservice often continues even when the power goes out.

Hurricane WindThe wind of a hurricane is technically known as the maximumsustained wind. It’s the wind close to the ground or the sea sur-face. One of the misconceptions about hurricane and tropicalstorm winds is that they have the same value everywhere in aperfect circle. The maximum sustained wind is just that- it’s thehighest steady wind measured or estimated at any point at seasurface or ground level within a hurricane. That means thatmost locations will not have the highest wind. That alsoexplains why some folks who went through Ivan, Dennis, orKatrina might have said the wind was not as bad as what theyhad heard. Even at landfall, the spacing of weather stations andnearshore buoys rarely gives a direct measurement of thathighest wind.

None of this is to say you shouldn’t expect high wind in a storm.In fact, the maximum sustained wind does not account for windgusts that are higher, or for tornadoes that can far exceed thesteady wind and wind gusts. While hurricane track forecasts haveimproved steadily over the years, accurately predicting hurricanewind remains a major challenge.

• The earliest date in the year for a hurricane in the Atlantic basin, was March 7, in 1908.

• The first documented flight into a hurricane was in 1943, when two Army Air Corps pilots challenged each other to fly through a hurricane. Major Joe Duckworth flew a single-engine plane into the eye of a hurricane.

• The strongest wind gust recorded in a hurricane was in 1996 with Tropical Cyclone Olivia, just before landfall in Australia. The winds were measured at 253 mph.

• Hurricanes and tropical storms spin clockwise in the southern hemisphere. In the northern hemisphere the storms spin counterclockwise.

• The deadliest hurricane to hit the United States was in 1900, in Galveston, Texas. 8,000 people were killed.

• Every few years the remnants of a tropical system do cross Mexico or Central America, from the Gulf or Caribbean to the Pacific (or in the other direction), and redevelop into a new tropical system.

• Mobile was hit by category three hurricanes 10 years apart, in 1906, 1916, and 1926.

• The longest-lasting hurricane was in the Pacific Ocean. Hurricane John lasted 30 days in 1994.

• The most expensive hurricane to hit the United States was Katrina, in 2005. It caused over 100 billion dollars in losses.

• Up to 4 hurricanes have been observed in the Atlantic basin at the same time.

• The latest observed hurricane for the year in the Atlantic basin was on December 31, in 1954

Hurricane Trivia