There is a method to surviving a hurricane, but when preparing for a hurricane, it is good to understand some basic things about them. Hurricane season happens every year between June 1 and November 30.
According to weatherquestions.com, hurricanes are caused by intense low pressure areas that form over warm ocean waters in the summer and early fall.
Their source of energy is water vapor, which is evaporated from the ocean surface. Water vapor is the “fuel” for the hurricanes because it releases the “latent heat of condensation” when it condenses to form clouds and rain, warming the surrounding air.
Hurricanes are placed in categories based on their wind speeds. There are 5 categories of hurricanes, with category 5 being the highest. Hurricane Katrina that hit the Louisiana coast in 2005 was a category 3.
Category 1 has wind speeds of 74 – 95 mph, category 2 has wind speeds of 96 – 110 mph, category 3 has wind speeds of 111 – 130 mph, category 4 has wind speeds of 131 – 155 mph and category 5 has wind speeds greater than 155 mph and is considered to be catastrophic meaning extremely dangerous and life threatening.
Now that we have learned a little about hurricanes, now we will talk about how to be prepared and hopefully survive. If you plan to stay in your home when the hurricane makes landfall, make sure you have the necessary survival items.
You and all members of your household will need to pack a backpack with a change of clothes and any medications or other items you need, just in case your home gets flooded, because you will not have time to look for things if the lights go out.
Make sure you have a manual can opener, 2 flashlights, extra batteries, and candles as a backup for the flashlights. You should buy lots of bottled water, which can be used for drinking or washing should something happen to the major water supply like contamination especially in Texas and Louisiana where chemical refineries for oil and gas are very popular.
You should have food that will not spoil and does not need to be cooked. Pepperoni will last longer without refrigeration longer than ham or turkey.
Fruits, chips and crackers are good finger food for young children and the elderly. If you have an elderly person in your household that needs electricity for medication medicine that they use daily, you might need to purchase a generator or make some arrangements at a local hospital for them to reside there until after the hurricane is over.
Cell phones and laptop computers should be charged to full capacity and then turned off until needed. After the hurricane hits, your cell phone and laptop might be the only connection to the outside world provided that you have a wireless connection on laptop.
Some cell phones can be used a modem, so you might want to check with your service provider before the hurricane is a threat to your area. If the water enters your home unplug all electronics and place them as high as you can to avoid massive water damage. You should know the stability of the structure you plan to stay in during the hurricane.
Do not forget about your pets, some shelters do not allow pets so make sure you have a plan for their survival. Have plenty of pet food and a pet transporter.
I have survived Hurricane Alicia in 1983, Hurricane Bonnie in 1986, Hurricane Chantal in 1989, Hurricane Jerry in 1989, and Hurricane Katrina in 2005.