Knowing the difference between a hurricane warning and a hurricane watch can help you better decide when to stay and when to leave during a storm.
A hurricane warning means that hurricane conditions, including sustained winds of at least 74 miles per hour, are expected. Hurricane warnings are issued 36 hours ahead of the onset of tropical storm-force winds to allow for preparations, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
A hurricane watch means that hurricane conditions are possible. Watches are issued 48 hours ahead of anticipated tropical storm winds.
NOAA advises that during a hurricane warning, your storm preparations should be completed, and you should be prepared to evacuate if local officials direct you to do so. Similarly, during a hurricane watch, you should review your evacuation plans in case a warning is issued, the office said.
In the United States, local emergency management makes evacuation decisions during tropical cyclones based on the water, not the wind, said Dennis Feltgen, a meteorologist and spokesman for the National Hurricane Center.
Dr. Jennifer Collins, a professor at the School of Geosciences at the University of South Florida, said all evacuation orders should be followed. If you don’t leave when ordered, “it may be too late later,” she said, and you could put your life “at more risk.”
Beyond the usual preparations like gathering food, water and a first aid kit, Dr. Collins recommends having backup batteries for cellphones and having some cash in case A.T.M.s are not available. An additional folder with passports, birth certificates and insurance information, including your policy number, should also be at the ready.
Where you plan to go during an evacuation is equally important. If staying with friends and family isn’t an option, call on the “strength of weak ties,” or people with whom you don’t often connect, Dr. Collins said, such as “a friend of a friend, a sister church or social group,” she said. “Don’t be afraid to ask for help.”
The National Weather Service outlines a number of actions to take to prepare for a tropical storm or hurricane, including securing your home by covering the windows, tuning in to the local emergency management office and finding the latest forecast. But not every situation calls for an evacuation.
If there are no orders to evacuate during a storm, the Weather Service says to take shelter in a small interior room, a closet or a hallway on the lowest level of your home, and to stay clear of windows until the storm passes.
