Texas Survey July 2025 - Flipbook - Page 26
PREPAREDNESS
FOR A
HURRICANE
SAFETY
JOE BREAUX
B
y knowing what actions to take before a hurricane begins, what to do
when a hurricane approaches, knowing what to do when the storm is in
your area, and knowing what to do after a hurricane leaves your area,
you can increase the chances of your survival. Sharing this information
may help save your life or the life of someone else in the future.
The Gulf of America (Mexico) hurricane season lasts from June 1st to November 30th of each
year and peaks during the month of September. This was adopted by convention. On average,
14 tropical storms form, with 7 becoming hurricanes over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or
the Gulf of America. Typically, over a 2-year period, the U.S. coastline is struck by an average
of 3 hurricanes. One of these is classified as a major hurricane with winds of 111 mph or
greater. The 2005 season had the most hurricanes, 15 storms, while the least active was 1914,
with only one tropical storm developing that year.
As far back as 1700 English explorer and naturalist William Dampier observed that
hurricanes were in the Caribbean Sea from July to September. Mariners in the 18th
century regarded the period from July to the end of October as hurricane season. W.
H. Rosser described in his 1876 book The Law of Storms Considered Practically that
hurricane season was July through October. By 1907 the United States Weather Bureau
operated by observing June 15th to November 15th, and began in 1917 to observe
June 1st to November 30th.
Hurricanes are a form of tropical cyclone
that can cause devastating damage to
communities, both on the coast and
within 60 to 80 miles inland. They are
storms with circulating air and sustained
wind speeds of 74 miles per hour or
higher. The strongest hurricanes have
wind speeds that exceed 155 miles per
hour. The Atlantic Coast, from New York
state down to Florida, and the Gulf of
America, from Florida across Texas to
Mexico and beyond, are vulnerable to
hurricanes.
If you live in an area that is affected by
hurricanes, you should be prepared to
follow local plans for preparations by the
local
community.
This
includes
preparations, evacuation plans, return
plans, and cleanup plans. This also
includes familiarity with the warning
systems used to warn of and describe
storms.
Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEAs)are short emergency alerts. Sent by
authorities to any WEA-enabled
mobile device in a locally targeted
area. Alerting Authorities include
state, local, tribal and territorial public
safety
authorities,
the
National
Weather Service, the National Center
for Missing and Exploited Children,
and the President of the United States.
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