NEWS
Another Hurricane? Yes, Really
One month ago, your News of Davidson team started tracking Hurricane Florence and posted an initial article comparing the potential track of Florence with the historic track of Hurricane Hugo. Following that initial post, we began providing regular updates on the path of the storm and the potential impacts to Davidson. That storm was moving so slowly, that we posted updates over a period of a full week. In the end, Davidson was spared the brunt of the storm – while some areas in the eastern part of the state will be rebuilding for months if not years to come.
Now, Hurricane Michael is churning in the Gulf of Mexico, and is a Category 3 storm with sustained winds at 125 mph. The storm is projected to make landfall over the Florida panhandle within the next 24 hours. And the latest predictions suggest the storm could be a Category 4 storm at landfall.
The latest forecast shows that there is a 50-60% chance we could get tropical storm force winds in our area. Additionally, the rainfall associated with Michael could match that of Florence – with Davidson receiving 5-8 inches of rain. One big difference between the two storms, the speed. Michael is moving very quickly, and the impacts will likely be felt here as early as Wednesday evening. The National Weather Service has already issued a flash flood watch for Mecklenburg County, with the projected impacts all day Thursday.
As of tonight, the Town of Davidson reported that Mecklenburg County emergency management officials would be hosting their first coordination phone call tomorrow. The good news is that the lessons learned from the town’s emergency operation’s center (EOC) are fresh in the memory of all those involved.
As we noted in one of our updates about Florence, the most notable lesson learned was the identification of the projected division of the town into three distinct sectors if flooding occurs. Officials determined the best plan to ensure that emergency services are capable of reaching citizens located in all those areas.
If you took the chance and didn’t prepare for Florence, you might want to look at what you can do to prepare for Michael. Visit www.ready.gov/hurricane-toolkit to find checklists that will help you prepare.
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
Once again, this article isn’t intended to worry our readers, but it is a suggestion to be prepared. We had sporadic power outages in Davidson associated with Florence, and it wouldn’t hurt to be prepared for Michael.
Your News of Davidson team will keep an eye out on the forecasts, and do our best to keep our readers updated on the potential threats as well as the impacts on our events in our community.