IN THE EYE OF A STORM

I never thought I would say I’ve been in the eye of a hurricane, but now I can.  When you live on the Gulf Coast of Texas, it is something that should be in my vocabulary.  It’s a major event, and from June 1st through November 30th, known as the Atlantic hurricane season, there are several things you need to prepare - just in case.

1. Make sure your vehicles are gassed up. You never know whether you might need to evacuate.
2. You need non-perishable food in case the electricity goes out. Depending on the damage to the electrical lines, your electricity could be out for days or weeks.
3. Fill your bathtub with water in case you need water to flush your toilets.
4. Confirm you have working flashlights and extra batteries for each person to get around safely.
5. Charge your cell phones and watches.
6. Have a non-electric can opener.
7. Plenty of bottled water.
8. First aid kit.
9. Emergency weather radio and extra batteries.
10. Multi-tool or Swiss Army knife to help open and cut things.
11. Extra cash, in case ATMs or store credit card machines don’t have power.
12. Candles and dry matches or lighters.

Finally, make sure you have put away all small movable items, such as lawn furniture, plants, and yard decorations, in a shed or garage, as they might become projectiles, breaking windows or hurting someone.

For the past couple of weeks, meteorologists have been projecting where a tropical depression that formed in the warm waters of the tropical Atlantic might land. Many have forecast that 2024 will see a record number of hurricanes develop due to the warmer waters. Within hours of Beryl forming, it made a record, becoming the first Category 4 hurricane to form in June.

For days, most spaghetti models suggested that this second hurricane of 2024 would track close to the first one, landing on the northeast side of Mexico, just below the southernmost city of Texas, Brownsville.

With unpredictable weather patterns on the rise, it is better to be ready and safe than caught in a pickle and sorry you didn’t prepare. Houston is the fourth largest city in the United States, quickly reaching seven million residents. Many agencies must coordinate to inform us what is happening and what to do under certain circumstances.

Beryl was a Category 1 hurricane when it hit the Houston metroplex.  As of the time I was writing this blog, seven people were killed.  And I understand several of those people lost their lives from large trees falling on them in their homes. Over two million homes were without electricity, some of which still haven’t had that fixed.  According to the news channel, the power company has hired over 10,000 electrical workers from other cities and states to assist.  I believe we’re slowly recovering.

Before closing this blog, I would like to thank all those who have been praying for all of us impacted by Beryl. I appreciate your reaching out through emails and text messages and sharing your concerns. Let’s all hope this 2024 season doesn’t become the active year they are forecasting.

Take care!

All my best,

Julie