Tropical Storm Nate is nearing hurricane strength and is anticipated to enter the Gulf of Mexico later tonight.  –National Hurricane Center Here

  • A Hurricane Warning is now in effect for metropolitan New Orleans and Lake Pontchartrain.
  • A Storm Surge Warning is now in effect east of the Alabama/Florida border to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line.
  • A Tropical Storm Warning is now in effect east of the Alabama/Florida border to the Okaloosa/Walton County Line.


Everyone in the narrow cone of probability (LA, MS, AL and FL) should begin immediately activating their hurricane plan. Tonight through mid-day (4pm) tomorrow is the open window for taking action and preparing yourselves.  Those further inland should also prepare for heavy rain, potential flooding and the probability of power outages.

At 400 PM CDT (2100 UTC), the center of Tropical Storm Nate was located near latitude 20.3 North, longitude 85.7 West. Nate is moving toward the north-northwest near 21 mph (33 km/h) and this motion is expected to continue through Saturday, with a turn toward the north and northeast expected Saturday night and Sunday.
On the forecast track, the center of Nate will move near or over the northeastern coast of the Yucatan peninsula this evening. Nate will then move into the southern Gulf of Mexico tonight, approach thenorthern Gulf coast Saturday, and then move make landfall over the northern Gulf coast Saturday night or Sunday. (link)


The challenge with Nate is the distance it is anticipated to travel between Saturday Morning and Sunday Morning.  It is forecast to move VERY quickly, and could catch coastal residents off guard with urgent preparations needed on Saturday.
1. Review your LED flashlights and lanterns to make sure they are working. Have at least one flashlight for every person in your family, and ideally have a lantern or two for general lighting.
2. Take photos today or tomorrow of every room, every piece of electronics, and everything valuable. Upload the pictures to the cloud – Dropbox, Microsoft Cloud, iCloud, Google Drive, etc. – before the storm. Or email the pictures to yourself.
3. Also take photos of key documents and upload them as well.
4. Save your contacts in your phone to the cloud, or write them down. If you don’t know how to do that, frame grab your screen or have someone take photos of your contacts with their phone and email or text the pictures back to you to a friend. Don’t take a chance on losing your contacts if something happens to your phone.
5. Secure your photographs and albums in double plastic bags.
6. Plastic bags and duct tape are your friends. You can’t buy to many of them. Put documents in gallons-size (or larger) Ziploc bags. Put larger items in double large trash bags cocooned so the opening of the first bag is in the bottom of the second bag. Put some clothes in plastic bags in case you get a roof leak. Duct tape bags closed. Put valuables on a high shelf in a closet.
7. Think now about where you are going to park your car. A parking garage is ideal. Outside in a low-lying area or under a tree is the worst. Think about all of the cars you’ve seen ruined in storms because people made bad choices about where they parked the car before the storm. When you know the storm track, you’ll have a better idea which side of a building will give the best protection. Next to a building on the downwind side gives you the best chance if you have to leave your car outside.
8. Do your laundry and wash your dishes before the storm.
9. You dishwasher is an excellent “safe” in your house if you need someplace to put valuables. Your washer and dryer can offer good protection as well. These could be good places to put your bagged-up photos, for example.
10. Fill Ziploc bags ¾ full of water and stuff them in your freezer to fill up the space. The less air you have in the freezer, the longer your refrigerator will stay cold. Do NOT turn your refrigerator to any lower setting than normal – that can damage the unit.
11. Choose a friend or relative out of town to be the contact point for your family or group of friends. After a storm, it is always easier to get a single call out of the area than attempt multiple calls within the storm zone. Be sure everybody has the out-of-town number and make a plan to check in ASAP after the storm.
12. If you live in a high rise, be sure you know what the procedures are going to be in the building. Will the building be evacuated? Will the water continue to work? Will elevators work? What is on a generator? If you can stay in the building (if it’s away from the water) find an interior hallway on a low floor where you can set up camp during the storm. It will not be safe to be on a high floor or near windows, even with modern hurricane impact windows. A hallway surrounded by concrete is your best bet.
13. Think about what you will sit on if you are in a hallway or other safe spot for a number of hours – maybe 12 hours or more. Consider comfortable folding chairs. Take food to your safe spot. Have books or other non-electronic amusements, including for the kids.
14. Do NOT count on your cellphone for communications. When Harvey, Irma and Maria hit Texas, Florida and Puerto Rico they knocked out the mobile phone systems. In addition, your battery may run down and you may have no ability to charge it. In any case, it’s essential you have a portable AM/FM radio that you can leave on so the entire family can hear what’s going on with the storm.
15. Most importantly, be sure you know a safe place where you and your family can ride out the storm, if it comes. This is the most critical decision you can make today. There almost certainly will be evacuations ordered for parts of the gulf coast. If you live near the water, put together the food, clothes, valuable items, and important papers you’ll take with you NOW. If voluntary evacuations are called – leave as early as possible. There will be a crush on the road and you may not find a hotel.
A hurricane is most likely to have some effect on a significant part of the region, and damaging impact on the lives of many people.  Therefore, we are confronted with an undisputable fact:

What you do before the storm, today and tomorrow, has everything to do with how you and your family will fare after the storm passes.

Today and tomorrow, you are in control. Take action calmly but resolutely. Don’t set yourself up to be a victim; but also don’t allow yourself to be fraught with anxiety.
You have the plan, now – work the plan!

Remember, anyone in need of help – reach out in the comments section or send us an email.  We will work earnestly to assist!

Share