The 2019 Hurricane Season began June 1st and concludes November 30th
By State Rep. Todd Hunter
AUSTIN Texas (Texas Insider Report) As hurricane season approaches be aware of hazards and have a plan for evacuation. When and if a tropical cyclone or hurricane occurs your planning ahead can be lifesaving.
The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1st and concludes on November 30th. The storms that occur during this time are among the most powerful and destructive of all natural phenomena.
The United States Department of Homeland Security the American Red Cross the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration the Texas Department of Public Safety and many other agencies work diligently to create awareness and provide resources to keep Americans safe throughout hurricane season.
During hurricane season tropical cyclones are more likely to form. Tropical cyclones are a rotating organized system of clouds and thunderstorms that originate over tropical or subtropical waters. They have a closed low-level circulation and rotate counterclockwise.
Not all tropical cyclones produce hurricanes. The NOAA defines:
- A Tropical Cyclone has maximum sustained winds of 38 mph or less as tropical depressions.
- A Tropical Storm is a Tropical Cyclone with maximum sustained winds of 39-73 mph.
- Hurricanes are a Tropical Cyclone with wind speeds of 74 mph or higher. and
- A Major Hurricane has a maximum sustained wind speed of 111 mph or more.
The Coastal Bend of Texas is considered an Evacuation Zone during hurricane season so if a hurricane is approaching the best-safest thing to do is evacuate. It is advised to prepare an evacuation checklist and kit ahead of time.
The Texas Division of Emergency Management and the National Weather Service urges all coastal residents to have the following on their checklist and in their evacuation kits:
- First-aid kit prescription medications eyeglasses copies of prescriptions other special medical items hearing aids and batteries
- Important documents and records photo IDs proof of residence information to process insurance claims
- Credit cards and cash (if power is out banks and ATMs may not be available)
- Battery-operated radio NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries
- Phone numbers of family friends and other important phone numbers
- Road maps
- 3-day supply of non-perishable food one gallon of bottled water per person per day coolers for food and ice storage paper plates utensils
- Manual can opener knife tools booster cables fire extinguisher duct tape tarp rope flashlight with extra batteries
- Extra keys
- Blankets pillows sleeping bags for each person extra clothing toys for children
- Supplies for babies the elderly and family members with special health care needs
- Toilet paper cleanup supplies personal hygiene products
- Leash food cleaning supplies and veterinary records for pets
Discussing how and where you plan to evacuate is essential as well. Once you have established your travel plan create a list of places between your town and your destination to stop if the highways are clogged. Having a document of potential hotel reservations is helpful too.
To find the best evacuation route please visit http://www.txdot.gov/inside-txdot/division/traffic/safety/weather/hurricane.html.
The physical damage from hurricanes can be devastating. There are ways to mitigate damage from the strong winds and rain though. Simple fixes include trimming or removing damaged trees and limbs from your yard as well as securing loose rain gutters and cleaning them out to prevent clogging. Retrofit to secure/reinforce your roof windows doors and garages to reduce serious property damage.
- The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) also advises building/creating a storm shelter or safe room in the event you are unable to evacuate.
- More information and tips on how to accomplish this can be found at https://www.fema.gov/safe-rooms.
- To keep up with potential storms throughout hurricane season visit http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/.
- The National Hurricane Center provides several resources to keep you up-to-date. To learn more about what hurricanes are associated hazards visit http://www.nws.noaa.gov/os/hurricane/resources/TropicalCyclones11.pdf.
For more information on how and what to prepare for hurricane season please visit:
- http://www.redcross.org/get-help/prepare-for-emergencies/types-of-emergencies/hurricane
- http://www.texasprepares.org/
- https://www.ready.gov/hurricanes; and https://www.dps.texas.gov/dem/ThreatAwareness/helpfulWebLinks.htm.
And on a final note I want to invite you to attend the upcoming Texas Oyster Aquaculture Summit thats set to occur on Wednesday July 10th! Its a free event and will be a great way to help celebrate your summer vacation!
Dont Miss It!
Texas Oyster Aquaculture Summit
- This is a Public Event: Free - Register Here
If you have questions regarding any of the information mentioned in this article please dont hesitate to call my Capitol or District Office. And always feel free to contact my office if you have any questions or issues regarding a Texas State Agency or if you would like to contact my office regarding constituent services.
As always my offices are available at any time to assist with questions concerns or comments (Capitol Office 512-463-0672; District Office 361-949-4603).
Texas State Representative Todd Hunter represents Texas House District 32 covering Aransas Calhoun Nueces (Part) and San Patricio Counties. He can be contacted at todd.hunter@house.texas.gov
