My prayers are with all the families, friends and businesses in all areas!

Warnings have been activated!

Make last minute preparations, and evacuate immediately. Please, for your own safety, get out NOW!!! Hurricane Ida is making it’s move to make a landfall to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, all the way from the Florida-Alabama border to the Louisiana-Texas border. This is a very serious storm, so take proper preparation now. Be ready for storm surge, high winds, power outages and possible tornadoes. Visit: The NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center’s Facebook page for more info. More technical information as provided by cdema.org – Tropical Weather Systems.

The current tropical activity report directly from the NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center:

Atlantic Tropical Report: Warnings have been activated! Hurricane Ida is due for landfall on the Gulf Coast near Louisiana. . .See information below and make preparations immediately!!!

The Atlantic season for the year 2021 is due to be a busier than normal year, and is off to a heavier than normal year so far. There are three tropical regions now, including Hurricane Ida, now at the Florida Keys; and then poised for landfall in the from the Florida-Alabama border to the Louisiana-Texas border–sometime starting THIS evening to middle of the night. The storm is moving toward the northwest near 16 mph and should continue through late Sunday to early Monday, followed then by slower movement northward through Monday. A busy day ALL day today, tomorrow and Monday–See more information below.

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HURRICANE IDA: Warnings have been activated! Check out for your local listings here: Nationwide Station Listing Using Broadcast Frequencies. Get ready…start preparing for landfall right away!! Hurricane Ida is making it’s move over the FLorida Keys right now and also due to make a landfall to the Gulf Coast of Louisiana, all the way from the Florida-Alabama border to the Louisiana-Texas border. Be prepared for a very serious storm, so take proper preparation now, and evacuate immediately. Do not think you can sit this one out. Very warm waters of the Gulf may render further development of this storm. Be ready early, and have an emergency evacuation protocol in place, Be ready for storm surge, flooding rains, high winds, power outages and possible tornadoes.  Winds could have a detrimental effect on impending danger and care needs to be exercised. It is important to exercise extra special care in those regions. Have an escape plan in place. Residents in all areas should have a hurricane plan in action or visit https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness. Please adhere to safety measures and stay out of the way of danger! Make arrangements accordingly. Current posting at – www.nhc.nnaa.gov/#Ida

NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center on Facebook

…IDA EXPECTED TO BEGIN RAPIDLY INTENSIFYING SOON…
…PREPARATIONS TO PROTECT LIFE AND PROPERTY SHOULD BE RUSHED TO COMPLETION TODAY IN THE WARNING AREA ALONG THE NORTHERN GULF COAST…
A Storm Surge Warning is in effect for…
* East of Rockefeller Wildlife Refuge Louisiana to the Mississippi/Alabama state line
* Vermilion Bay, Lake Borgne, Lake Pontchartrain, and Lake Maurepas
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Intracoastal City Louisiana to the Mouth of the Pearl River
* Lake Pontchartrain, Lake Maurepas, and Metropolitan New Orleans
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* Cameron Louisiana to west of Intracoastal City Louisiana
* Mouth of the Pearl River to the Alabama/Florida state line
A Storm Surge Watch is in effect for…
* Mobile Bay
Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area along the Louisiana coast beginning Sunday with tropical storm conditions expected to begin by late tonight or early Sunday morning. Preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion. These conditions will spread inland over portions of Louisiana and Mississippi Sunday night and Monday.
Tornadoes will be possible Sunday into Monday across the northern Gulf coast states including parts of eastern Louisiana, Mississippi, central and southern Alabama, and the Florida Panhandle. The longest duration tornado threat will exist across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi. For storm information specific to your area in the United States, including possible inland watches and warnings, please monitor products issued by your local National Weather Service forecast office. www.weather.gov
At 10 a.m. CDT, the center of Hurricane Ida was located over the Gulf of Mexico about 435 miles (700 km) southeast of Houma, Louisiana. Ida is moving toward the northwest near 16 mph (26 km/h), and this general motion should continue through late Sunday or early Monday, followed by a slower northward motion on Monday. On the forecast track, the center of Ida will move over the southeastern Gulf of Mexico today and move over the central Gulf of Mexico tonight and early Sunday. Ida is then expected to make landfall along the U.S. northern Gulf coast within the hurricane warning area on Sunday, and then move inland over portions of Louisiana or western Mississippi later on Monday.
Maximum sustained winds are near 85 mph (140 km/h) with higher gusts. Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 30 miles (45 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 125 miles (205 km). The latest minimum central pressure estimated from Air Force Reserve reconnaissance aircraft data is 984 mb (29.06 inches). Rapid strengthening is forecast during the next 24 to 36 hours and Ida is expected to be an extremely dangerous major hurricane when it approaches the northern Gulf coast on Sunday. Weakening is expected after Ida makes landfall.
The combination of a dangerous storm surge and the tide will cause normally dry areas near the coast to be flooded by rising waters moving inland from the shoreline. The water could reach the following heights above ground somewhere in the indicated areas if the peak surge occurs at the time of high tide:
– Morgan City, LA to Mouth of the Mississippi River…10-15 ft
– Mouth of the Miss. River to Ocean Springs, MS including Lake Borgne…7-11 ft
– Intracoastal City, LA to Morgan City, LA including Vermilion Bay…6-9 ft
– Ocean Springs, MS to MS/AL state line…4-7 ft
– Lake Pontchartrain…4-7 ft
– Lake Maurepas…3-5 ft
– Pecan Island, LA to Intracoastal City, LA…3-5 ft
– MS/AL state line to AL/FL state line including Mobile Bay…2-4 ft
– Sabine Pass to Pecan Island, LA…1-3 ft
Overtopping of local levees outside of the Hurricane and Storm Damage Risk Reduction System is possible where local inundation values may be higher than those shown above.
Heavy rainfall from Ida will begin to impact the Louisiana coast Sunday morning, spreading northeast into the Lower Mississippi Valley later Sunday into Monday. Total rainfall accumulations of 8 to 16 inches with isolated maximum amounts of 20 inches are possible across southeast Louisiana and southern Mississippi through Monday. This is likely to result in life-threatening flash and urban flooding impacts and significant riverine flooding impacts. Ida is forecast to turn northeast later Monday, with rainfall totals of 4 to 8 inches possible from northeastern Louisiana and central Mississippi into the Tennessee Valley. This is likely to result in considerable flash and riverine flooding impacts.
The next advisory will be issued by NHC at 4 p.m. CDT with an intermediate advisory at 1 p.m. CDT – www.hurricanes.gov

Courtesy of @NWSNHC on Facebook

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀Other Tropical Systems: Tropical Depression Ten, which poses moderate impact on boating at the present, is slightly disorganized , and would become “Julian” when/if it becomes a tropical storm – www.nhc.noaa.gov/#Ten. Elsewhere in the Atlantic, there are showers and thunderstorms associated with an elongated area of low pressure, located over the central Atlantic, have become a little better organized overnight. Visit https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness

NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center on Facebook

…POORLY ORGANIZED DEPRESSION NOW HEADING NORTH…
There are no coastal watches or warnings in effect.
At 11 a.m. AST, the center of Tropical Depression Ten was located over the central tropical Atlantic Ocean about 800 miles (1285 km) east of the Leeward Islands. It’s moving toward the north near 8 mph (13 km/h) and this general motion is forecast to continue during the next several days.
Maximum sustained winds are near 35 mph (55 km/h) with higher gusts. The estimated minimum central pressure is 1007 mb (29.74 inches). Some slight strengthening is forecast to occur and the depression is expected to become a tropical storm on Sunday. The next name on the Atlantic list is “Julian”.
The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 5 p.m. AST – www.hurricanes.gov

Courtesy of @NWSNHC on Facebook

🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀🌀Pacific Systems: Hurricane Nora, which poses a great impact on the western coastal Mexico and all of Baja Mexican Peninsula. Visit https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness

NOAA NWS National Hurricane Center on Facebook

…NORA A LITTLE STRONGER…
…CONDITIONS DETERIORATING ALONG THE COASTS OF COLIMA AND JALISCO…
A Hurricane Warning is in effect for…
* Manzanillo to San Blas Mexico
A Hurricane Watch is in effect for…
* North of San Blas to Topolobampo Mexico
A Tropical Storm Warning is in effect for…
* South of Manzanillo to Lazaro Cardenas Mexico
* North of San Blas to Altata Mexico
A Tropical Storm Watch is in effect for…
* Cabo San Lucas to La Paz Mexico
Hurricane conditions are expected in the hurricane warning area along the coast of mainland Mexico beginning later today. Hurricane conditions are also possible within the hurricane watch area tonight and may spread to the northern portions of the watch area Sunday and Sunday night. Tropical storm conditions are likely occurring over southern portions of the tropical storm warning area and will spread to the northern portions of the warning area this evening through Sunday night.
Interests elsewhere along the coasts of Sinaloa, Sonora, and Baja California Sur should monitor the progress of Nora. Additional watches and warnings may be required for portions of these areas later today or on Sunday. For storm information specific to your area, please monitor products issued by your national meteorological service.
At 10 a.m. CDT, the center of Hurricane Storm Nora was located over the eastern Pacific Ocean about 140 miles (225 km) south of Cabo Corrientes, Mexico. Nora is moving toward the north near 12 mph (19 km/h). This motion is expected to continue through this evening, bringing Nora’s center very close to or over the western part of Jalisco, Mexico. A motion toward the north-northwest and northwest at a slower forward speed is expected Sunday through Tuesday. On the forecast track, Nora’s center will approach the mouth of the Gulf of California on Sunday and move over southern portions of the Gulf on Monday and Tuesday.
Maximum sustained winds have increased to near 80 mph (130 km/h) with higher gusts.
Hurricane-force winds extend outward up to 35 miles (55 km) from the center and tropical-storm-force winds extend outward up to 175 miles (280 km). The estimated minimum central pressure is 981 mb (28.97 inches).Some additional strengthening is forecast through tonight if Nora’s center does not make landfall. Some gradual weakening is expected to begin by Sunday night or Monday, but Nora is forecast to remain as a hurricane through Tuesday.
Nora is expected to produce rainfall totals of 8 to 12 inches with maximum amounts of 20 inches this weekend into early next week along the west coast of Mexico from the Mexican states of Guerrero northward to southern Sonora, including Baja California Sur. This rainfall will produce life-threatening flash flooding and mudslides. Toward the middle and latter part of next week, moisture associated with Nora may bring heavy rainfall to portions of the southwestern U.S. and the central Rockies.
The next complete advisory will be issued by NHC at 4 p.m. CDT with an intermediate advisory at 1 p.m. CDT – www.hurricanes.gov

Courtesy of @NWSNHC on Facebook

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La Niña is being watched right now, and it would be a rare occurrence of less than two years between a cycle. Active record breaking hurricane seasons happen in conjunction of La Niña, so eyes are on the occurrence. KEEPING SAFETY IS OF UPMOST CONCERN! Check out the Wikipedia caption: Atlantic hurricane season

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Tips: Preparedness Before, During & After Tropical Weather:
Here are tips before the storm, a lot of these should generally be maintained before a hurricane watch is issued, months before a prediction is made:
PREPARATION BEFORE A HURRICANE:

1. Strap down the roof. Using hurricane straps/clips to fastening your home’s roof to the frame of the house, thus reducing any roof damage.
2. Put head plus foot bolts on all entry doors.
3. Buy or make window covers and storm shutters. Board up any remaining windows. Make sure all glass is covered no matter how small to reduce debris.
4. Take any antennae and satellite equipment down.
5. Caulk around the doors and windows.
6. Secure and protect all attached structures. Make sure all patio furniture, grills are put away or get it into your house. Turn off propane and try to cover them if possible.
7. Test the sump pumps and drains, and make sure the back-flow flap valves are operating to assure that water does not back up from the drain pipe.
8. Turn off ALL utilities at the shut-off valves, and trip the electric main. Pull out all the unnecessary plugs at every receptacle in case of lightning strikes after possible submersion. Do not unplug the refrigerator and/or freezers. Make sure that you have battery operated security as it is not safe to leave AC on during a storm.
9. Take before photos to have handy for your information and insurance purposes. They may be necessary to assist your later damages from the storm.

The instance that you hear, several days before onslaught, put off Xbox and all hobbies and get adequate sleep, because once you are going to make a decision and prepare if the hurricane looks like it is going to hit, you are going to need this sleep very badly. DO NOT think for a minute that you can stay and ride out the storm!! Reporters dispatched out into the storm are trained individuals who undergo years of training and underlying experiences, so don’t even think that going out on a whim to stay and see the hurricane is a viable option. When the authorities state that it is unsafe to stay, get ready right away! Do NOT wait until it is too late. Procrastination is your worst enemy, as a bad rush hour is a baby compared to trying to get out late in a hurricane. This is why a lot of times all lanes of highways go the same way–OUT!

• When authorities say to evacuate, DO NOT argue, and do so immediately.
• Make sure you bring proper ID, you will need it to get back when the storm has passed.
• Leave and mobile homes and to go to a nearby shelter.
• If your home is not on high ground or in a flood plain, go to a shelter.

Make sure you do not forget anything at home, because you will not be able to return to home one you leave! The authorities WILL NOT allow you to go back once you make your move for any reason, as they do not have time to deal with security issues and are trained to make sure everyone is getting out. If you wait too long and cannot evacuate, if you have an emergency, a lot of times there may be no assistance for you in an emergency. Phone lines are down even in this computer age, and emergency individuals are swarmed with work, and a lot of people already evacuated. Here are some survival tips:+
DURING A HURRICANE:

1. Always stay indoors during a hurricane, and do not venture outside because strong winds will blow things around. The force of a flying object can be deadly or devastating.
2. Make sure you know low-lying and flood prone areas, and STAY AWAY. Once water covers, you will not know how low they really are. Do not walk on the flooded areas, as manhole covers wash away, and the chance of falling into a crevice is very dangerous.
3. Stay informed by monitoring the storm by radio, and if power is still an option, plug in the TV, and/or internet. A battery operated NOAA.com weather radio is most helpful.
4. Avoid the phone, except for a serious emergency.

Stay alert for extended rainfall and all subsequent flooding after the hurricane has passed and tropical storm has moved out of the area. If you evacuated, return only when the officials approve say it is safe. Drive only if necessary and avoid flooded roads and washed out areas. Have ID ready as checkpoints only allow officials, media, cleared parties and people with proper credentials to pass for safety and security.
Here are After the Storm tips:
AFTER A HURRICANE:
Access any and all damages carefully and pay attention to safety, including embedded glass and shrapnel. Have a first aid kit handy.

1. Call insurance and only follow the following tips after proper accessing has been done, and don’t forget to take photos first before you fix damages. keep all receipts for supplies, fixing–for insurance or to claim a loss.
2. Access the possibility and turn on utilities ONLY if possible, plug in at every receptacle in case of lightning strikes after possible submersion. Make sure that you have battery operated security as it is not safe to leave AC on during a storm.
3. Access stability and remove the straps on the roof. Remove hurricane straps/clips to fastening your home’s roof to the frame of the house, thus reducing any roof damage.
4. Remove any head/foot bolts on entry doors.
5. Remove or higher window covers and storm shutters. Carefully take all board-up and covering down/off.
6. Re-install antennae and satellite equipment.
7. Take down the strapping from secured attached structures. Re-position all patio furniture, grills, etc. Turn on propane and hook up utilities if possible.
8. Check the sump pumps and drains, and make sure they are operating properly to assure that they are ready for subsequent storms.
9. It may take several weeks to dispose of refuse, make sure if any waste is hazardous to dispose of properly.
10. Fix the decor to return everything to it’s normal state.

The good news of a hurricane, is that they are the most predictable storm on the planet. Except in the late hurricane season of late October and November hurricanes usually move at predictable speeds, and are seen days ahead of time. The problem is that in true reality, if you know that you are in a hurricane zone, you really should play it smart and be prepared with plenty of supplies that are put away in a close storage area, so that the only thing you need to do to prepare for an oncoming hurricane is boarding up and getting out.

A hurricane is a nasty fact of life, but truly is necessary for the world to exist as it does. Hurricanes are mother nature’s control and thermostat to ensure that the oceans do not overheat. The hurricane sheds heat off the ocean surface and casts the heat into outer space really fast. They are true heat vacuums. The cores of heat shed from hurricanes make the ceilings of heat from 5 times to sometimes fifty times higher in altitude. It is the only time heat ever goes this high up. The price? The waters of the tropical oceans pay a high price in lost ocean wildlife and damage to underwater vegetation including the coral reef if the oceans are too warm. Hurricanes also pull the continental weather down further south in this hemisphere to ensure that the polar weather doesn’t get so intense in the tundra areas, so that vegetation can exist. Hurricanes absolutely need to exist if we want to live on earth. They are not going away, and we need to be prepared, and be safe.

FIND YOUR LOCAL NOAA.com WEATHER RADIO STATION:

FIND YOUR LOCAL NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE FORESCAST:

STAY SAFE!!!