Taming the Risk Hurricane

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Preparedness

Weather forecasters work hard to predict the possible path of an on-coming natural hurricane and to issue timely communications to the public and businesses that might be affected. But the fast-moving nature of hurricanes means that such warnings are only issued when the hurricane is already close at hand. The cone of uncertainty predicts the possible path of the storm center for three to five days ahead. A hurricane watch tells people that a hurricane is possible, with storm-force winds expected in the coming 48 hours, and a hurricane warning gives 36 hours’ notice. The short-term nature of these communications doesn’t give much time for people and businesses to prepare, and any serious preparation must be done in advance. ...