Source: National Hurricane Center

Hurricane Watches are in effect for parts of Maine. Canada has also issued a Hurricane Watch, and Tropical Storm Warning has been issued for Southwestern Nova Scotia. A Tropical Storm Watch has been issued for other parts of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick.

According to the Canadian Hurricane Centre approximately 4 tropical cyclones per year has affected Canada in the last 50 years.

Residents of Galveston, Texas are now returning to their homes after evacuating from the area about 2 weeks ago. The area was left devastated after Hurricane Ike made landfall September 13, 2008. Those residents with special medical needs were told to delay their return because there were not enough facilities fully operational to take care of their needs.

Once again, it appears that Florida is going to dodge another hurricane. Hurricane Ike, which seemed to be heading to South Florida, has shifted even further south and its current path has it headed for the Gulf Coast. The storm is predicted to go over Cuba and then travel through the Gulf of Mexico.

Source: National Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Hanna, Hurricane Ike, and Tropical Storm Josephine are moving along through the Atlantic. Tropical Storm Hanna is expected to land somewhere along the South Carolina, North Carolina coastline. Hurricane Ike’s path has taken more south, but because of its distance there is a large area of uncertainty. The current path of Hurricane Ike has it going to South Florida early next week. Hurricane Josephine is so far out that it is hard to tell where exactly she will go. At this point she poses no threat to land.

What is left of Tropical Storm Fay is making its way across the Southeast United States and cleanup is beginning in many areas. Now we have Tropical Storm Gustav that has a path taking it through the Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico. At this point its certain path is unknown. As we saw with Tropical Storm Fay and many other preceding storms, predicted paths change relatively quickly.

Later today Tropical Storm Gustav is predicted to become a hurricane and go over Haiti. The 5-day National Hurricane has Tampa Bay and areas south of Tampa bay in the cone of uncertainty. Even though Tampa Bay was not hugely impacted by Tropical Storm Fay, this is not the time to become complacent.

Many individuals may feel annoyed by what they call media hype concerning the storms but preparation is always important because we never know exactly when and where these storm are coming.

Forecasters have Tropical Storm Fay making landfall south of the Tampa Bay area. When we went to be last night the track had the storm making landfall north of Tampa Bay in North West Florida. The track continues to changes and everyone should be preparing for the storm because Tampa Bay is in the cone of uncertainty.

Many people had to go into work today, but a few things are to remember to have a full tank of gas and also know what hurricane zone you are in. Also know the evacuation shelters in your area. Even if we do not take a direct hit some area may lose power so try to stock up on nonperishable foods and flashlights.

The National Hurricane Center has Information on what should be your Disaster Supply Kit

Source: National Hurricane Center

Tropical Storm Fay projected path has most of Florida in her cone of uncertainty. The forecast hast Fay’s path a little west of the earlier projected path. As of the 5 pm. advisory a hurricane watch is on the west coast of Florida from the Florida Keys to Tarpon Springs. The east coast of Florida from Jupiter southward is currently under a tropical storm watch. Cuba and most of the keys are also facing a tropical storm warning.

Hurricane Dolly is the second hurricane of the season and is a category 1 hurricane. The storm is not expected to do much strengthening before it makes landfall tomorrow but it is expected to produce a lot of rain in the area.

Foreseeing the imminent landfall of Hurricane Dolly the American Red Cross has issued a checklist for residents to use to prepare.

• Monitor media reports. Watch TV, listen to AM/FM or NOAA weather radio and check the Internet for updates.
• Review or develop a family communication plan so you will know how to contact each other and where to meet. Identify an out-of-area contact person that family members and friends can call if you are separated from one another.
• Register with the Red Cross Safe and Well Web site. If you are affected by a disaster, this public site provides a way for you to register yourself and communicate your well-being to your family members. You can input information directly or via phone. The site is accessible via www.redcross.org.
• Update or create your disaster supplies kit. Your kit should have the following items: 3-day supply of water (1 gallon per person, per day), nonperishable food, manual can opener, flashlight, battery-operated or crank radio, extra batteries, first aid kit, prescription and non-prescription medications, cash, and copies of important documents such as bank account numbers, social security card, driver’s license and insurance policies.
• Prepare your home. Bring inside: bicycles, lawn furniture, trash cans, hanging plants, outdoor decorations or ornaments, or anything else that can be carried by the wind. Close windows and doors, then close hurricane shutters or cover windows with plywood.
• Stay away from floodwaters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car quickly and move to higher ground. The floodwaters may still be rising and the car could be swept away at any moment.
• Plan your evacuation route. Use local maps and identify alternate evacuation routes from home, work and/or school. Know where you are going and how you plan to get there before you leave home.
• Evacuate immediately if advised to do so. Follow the direction of local authorities on which routes to take, which evacuation shelters to seek and other important advice.
• Take your pets with you. If it is not safe for you, it is not safe for them. Red Cross emergency shelters cannot accept pets unless they are service animals. Prepare a list of family, friends, pet-friendly motels and boarding facilities that could shelter your animals.

For more information on hurricane preparedness, or to register a family member on Safe and Well, visit www.redcross.org, or call 1-800-RED CROSS (1-800-733-2767).

Having my power go out during a thunderstorm made me realize that I really am not ready for hurricane season. Number one, I have tons of flashlights and I know this to be a fact, but when the lights went out I was not able to find one. Over the years, since Hurricane Charlie I have be prone to purchase flashlights when I see them on sale or clearance. My reasoning was you can never have enough flashlights, but when the lights went out in my house I was not able to find one flashlight.

Then there is the important thing like having available drinking water. I had relied on the water that came dispensed from the door of my refrigerator for years, but when there is no electricity there is no flowing water from the refrigerator. Even with if there was water coming from the fridge it might now be safe to drink after a hurricane. There have been numerous times in the past where residents of certain areas have had to boil their drinking water, but with no power this is cannot be done. Now I have to go stock-up on my gallons of water and other supplies.

I think that a few fairly quiet hurricane seasons have gotten me complacent once again. But these crazy thunderstorms that knocked out my power are the Braxton-Hicks contractions that are there to prepare me for the real labor of a hurricane.

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