Incoming Tropical Storm Florence still has an air of mystery, with meteorologists predicting it will hit anywhere between the Carolinas and eastern Maryland next week.
Florence is still out in the Atlantic as a tropical storm, and isn’t expected to make landfall until at least midday Wednesday, if not later, National Weather Service meteorologist Brendan Schaper said.
“Models still show it could [hit] from east Georgia up to the Eastern Shore of Maryland,”
Schaper said.
After Florence weakened to a tropical storm Thursday, it began to track further south and west instead of north, increasing the possibility that it may not directly hit Virginia.
Meteorologists expect Florence to stay a tropical storm until Sunday, when it will intensify to a hurricane, pick up speed and head north.
By Tuesday, the hurricane should be immediately south of Bermuda, models show.
By 8 a.m. Wednesday, the storm is predicted to be off the coast of South Carolina.
Beachgoers in North Carolina and Virginia Beach may see some swells and rip currents before the storm, Schaper said.
Rain is expected in Hampton Roads on Wednesday and Thursday, he said.
Meteorologists have not determined what category hurricane Florence will grow into.
Preparing on the local level
Although the forecast is still not concrete, local and state emergency departments are preparing for the possibility of a hurricane.
James City County Fire Department Battalion Chief Al Catlett said emergency crews are checking their standby equipment to ensure everything is operating property and filled with fuel.
That equipment includes emergency generators, chain saws and more.
“It’s all the normal routine things in advance should something occur,” Catlet said.
Crews will ramp up the preparation if the forecast shows eastern Virginia will be hit hard by the storm, Catlett said.
“We’re staying close to the information just like everyone up and down the East Coast right now,” he said.
Catlett suggested residents also keep informed through the media and local emergency alerts.
In Williamsburg, Fire Chief Pat Dent said residents can get tips and updates through his department’s Facebook page.
The Williamsburg Fire Department has been working to schedule staff for its emergency communications center, which is housed at the fire station on North Boundary Street, in the event of an emergency.
If the forecast indicates Florence could be a threat, Dent said crews will start checking equipment to ensure it’s in working order.
Steve Kopczynski, fire chief for the York County Department of Fire & Life Safety, said county staff had a meeting Friday to begin planning for an emergency response to Florence.
The meeting included verifying that equipment is functioning, planning for staffing at the county’s emergency operations center and more, Kopczynski said.
“Should the storm impact us, we’re being prepared to do media releases and are putting information on social media,” he added. “We’re also making contact with our surrounding localities.”
Emergency officials in York County have also been talking to county staff about their hurricane plans for themselves and their families.
Kopczynski added that preparing for the storm is currently “a matter of monitoring.”
Florence is zeroing in on Virginia, the time to prepare is now. https://t.co/Z9eiN61fXZ
— VDEM (@VDEM) September 7, 2018
Statewide tips
If Florence hits Virginia, the Virginia Department of Emergency Management has some tips to stay safe:
- “Know Your Zone” This plan helps evacuees travel away from danger zones during a storm in the Tidewater area.
- Have an emergency kit, which includes food and supplies, hygiene items, medical and first aid items, emergency funds and important paperwork.
- Plan a rendezvous spot in town for family members to meet if separated during an emergency.
- Plan for your pets. Most evacuation shelters only allow service animals.
- Ask an out-of-town friend or family member to serve as a point of contact for all members of the family or household
