Hurricane Watch on Northern Gulf Coast

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Winds gusted to at least 104 mph as Hurricane Delta moved through Cancun. A hurricane watch (pink) has been issued for the far east Texas coast and the Louisiana coast of the Mississippi Delta. 

The National Hurricane Center is forecasting the storm to regain major hurricane status before it makes landfall on Friday. I am forecasting a major storm surge will affect the Louisiana coast and points east as far as Mobile Bay. 

Here is the storm surge forecast.

It is time to make precautions on the Louisiana coast as the new run of models indicates that is where the storm is currently headed. Safety Recommendations With COVID Factored In:

  • Make a hotel/motel reservation well inland. There is no point to getting on the road and finding everything already sold out. Be sure and cancel if you do not need the room. In this case, I would go west (e.g., Lake Charles, Beaumont) to stay away from both winds and flooding. 
  • Make provisions for infirm friends/relatives well in advance. 
  • Get prescriptions filled before you evacuate. 
  • Put an app like AccuWeather's on your smartphone. It will keep track of your location and automatically provide the latest emergency warnings. 
  • Your "Go-Kit" should include at least two masks per person, soap, hand sanitizers, disinfectant wipes and, if available, disinfectant spray. 
  • Fill your car with fuel. I still recommend a road atlas or map in addition to whatever navigation system you might have. 
  • Power failures are likely. If you have a generator, fill it with fuel. If you wish to purchase a portable generator, do not put it in the garage, indoors, or anywhere near an air intake. Carbon monoxide is a danger. Nearly half of the fatalities from Hurricane Laura were from carbon monoxide after the storm. 
  • Consider taking your passport or putting it in your safe deposit box. If the worst happens, you'll need it to prove identity for disaster documents. It will be difficult to recover in a ruined home.
  • Take at least two large bottles of water for each family member along with protein bars or other easy-to-carry food. 
  • If you decide to stay home, make sure you have a working fire extinguisher, non-electric can opener, and a first aid kit. 

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