Communities reminded to prepare as tropics heat up

WILMINGTON, NC (WWAY) — The second half of the Atlantic Hurricane Season is usually the busiest, so it is important to stay prepared.  

The tropics are heating up, so having a hurricane preparedness kit and a plan are crucial. 

“It only takes one storm,” Meteorologist Victoria Oliva with the Wilmington National Weather Service office said. 

Historically about two-thirds of all hurricane activity happens between August and October and with several systems being monitored in the Atlantic, this season is far from over. 

Oliva says now is the time to have a hurricane preparedness kit and a plan.  

“Bottled water, medication, cash, things like that on hand every season just in case you want to be prepared for a storm. Check over documents and have an evacuation plan in place so you know where you might need to go,” Oliva stated. 

Keep important documents like these handy.  

“Insurance paperwork, any documentation of your possessions for insurance filing if need. Then of course like birth certificate and any of your usual important documents to have in a safe place,” Oliva said. 

Whether you are told to evacuate or shelter-in-place, prepare with enough time to execute your plan. 

“You don’t want to be making these decisions at the last minute, sometimes depending on the forecast you may not know until maybe two days in advance and that’s kinda hard to get everything together real quick. So, the better prepared you are, the easier it will be to protect you and your family, even your pets,” Oliva informed. 

For the most up-to-date and accurate information use trusted sources. 

“Pay attention to the forecast and use trusted sources for your forecast. Try to stay away from anyone that might be posting unofficial forecasts online,” Oliva suggested. 

It is recommended to have a minimum of 3-days worth of supplies and have one gallon of water a day per person, which can be used for drinking and sanitation. 

It is also important to know if you are in an evacuation zone in case an evacuation is required.