Weather of the Week

It’s a better weather week! It will be sunny and warm. No rain in the forecast, unlike last week. Tuesday looks to be the coldest, at 67 degrees. Otherwise, an average of 75 degrees all week. A chance of 80 degrees Thursday and/or Friday. Warmth should stick around, though a cold front may be expected early next week, dropping temperatures into the 60s. But it’s too far out to start making any predictions.

What’s Going on in the Weather World?

Last Week I covered Severe Weather protocol, this week will be Hurricane/Tropical Storm protocol. While hurricane season begins on June 1st (in the Atlantic, May 15th in the Pacific), usually it begins in mid-May. Even in the interior of Massachusetts, we have been affected by tropical cyclones. Tropical Storm Henri in 2021 is the most recent.

The first thing to do is to prepare. Think right now like a hurricane is making landfall in Connecticut, heading our way. Have a first aid kit and enough food and water for at least three days, but I would have enough for a week at least. If evacuation orders are ordered, follow them. If you have to stay at home for financial or other reasons, board up windows, get sandbags, and place them entirely around the house. Buy A LOT of batteries. Have flashlights and radios, especially a radio that has the ability to pick up National Weather Service broadcast messages. Fill up your car(s) gas tank. Put vehicles in a garage if you can. Make sure ALL animals are in some sort of shelter. Move unsecured objects to an area where winds cannot blow them away. If there is any flooding or if you have to leave your home, turn the power off in your home

Be prepared for winds up to 160 mph in the worst case. DO NOT go outside if winds are reduced to none, it is likely you are in the eye of the storm. If you go outside, winds on the other side of the eye of the storm could get you killed. The key point for tropical weather is to hope for the best but prepare for the worst.