NEWS

Hurricane Florence is churning out in the Atlantic. About a week ago forecasters said that based on where the storm was located, and the historical trends – that the storm would likely veer back to the northeast and not make landfall on the east coast of the United States.

About two days ago those forecasts changed. The latest forecast shows that there is a 20-30% chance we could get tropical storm force winds in our area.

Now some of you are probably reading this and saying, but we are in Davidson – shouldn’t we be saying that there is a 70% chance we won’t be impacted by this storm? After all – look how far we are away from the coast.

Others of you are having flashbacks to September 1989 and the visit of Hurricane Hugo.

Forecasters had predicted Hugo’s landfall, but they didn’t predict the storm’s overland path that brought it to Davidson. Roughly 6 hours after the category 4 storm hit the Outer Banks, the Category 1 storm arrived in Mecklenburg County. North Carolina had an estimated $1B in damages from Hugo.

The good news is that weather forecasting is vastly improved since 1989, and you have access to that technology. Whether you simply watch local or national weather coverage – the meteorologists have access to that improved technology.

The problem with Hugo wasn’t the rain, it was the wind. Hurricane Hugo devastated large-growth trees in our town. Downed trees and limbs blocked streets and downed power lines. So, in the event you think you might be “hooked on” electricity, figure out how you will function without it.

If you are wondering what you can do to prepare, you can visit www.ready.gov/hurricane-toolkit

If you are looking for some quick tips:

• fill up your car’s gas tank
• stock up on emergency supplies
• make sure you have an ample supply of any medications you take
• look for items outside your house that could be blown around, and cause additional damage
• check your insurance policy in advance to know what’s covered
• create a family communication plan
• see if your neighbors need help

This article isn’t intended to worry our readers, but it is a suggestion to be prepared. Power outages were sporadic in Davidson, and across Mecklenburg County. In some cases, it took weeks for the power to be restored in neighborhoods.