Tropical Storm Elsa is well under way and is only hours away from affecting the Florida Keys, Tuesday morning.
The potential effects of Tropical Storm Elsa from Monday evening to Wednesday include thunderstorms and the risk of isolated tornadoes. The center of the storm will be just west of the Florida Keys early Tuesday morning.
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For the latest on Tropical Storm Elsa and its track, click here. For an even deeper look, check out our official Weather page.
If you’re from South Florida, you’ll know the days leading up to landfall of a storm mean two things:
- You get gasoline for your vehicle(s)
- You stock up on water bottles — and even purchase multiple, one-gallon jugs of them
But then what? This is the general follow-up question most residents may have, (especially those who may have recently moved to the Sunshine State since the beginning of COVID-19).
This is why we wanted to ensure our readers were well prepared for the potential impacts of the storm, whether small or severe. Therefore, we relied on the experts over the National Weather Service (NWS) to get their official advice on what to do before Tropical Storm Elsa hits South Florida.
According to their official website, this is their checklist of things to do even before hurricane seasons begins:
- Know your zone: Find out if you live in a hurricane evacuation area by contacting your local government/emergency management office, or, by checking the evacuation site website.
- Put together an emergency kit: Put together a basic emergency kit. Check to make sure you have emergency equipment on hand, such as flashlights, generators, batteries, and storm shutters.
- Examples, according Ready.gov: Water (one gallon per person per day for several days, for drinking and sanitation), food (at least a three-day supply of non-perishable food), battery-powered or hand-cranked radio, as well as a NOAA Weather Radio with tone alert, a flashlight, a first-aid kit, extra batteries, a whistle (to signal for help), a dust mask (to help filter contaminated air), a plastic sheeting and duct tape (to shelter in place), moist towelettes, garbage bags, and plastic ties (for personal sanitation), wrench or pliers (to turn off utilities), a manual can opener (for food), local maps, a cell phone with chargers, and, lastly, a backup battery.
- Write or review your family emergency plan: Before an emergency happens, sit down with your family or close friends and decide how you will get in contact with each other, where you will go, and what you will do in an emergency. Keep a copy of this plan in your emergency supplies kit or another safe place where you can access it in the event of a disaster. Start at the emergency plan webpage.
- Review your insurance policies: Review your insurance policies to ensure that you have adequate coverage for your home and personal property.
- Understand NWS forecasts, especially the meaning of NWS watches and warnings.
For even more information on how to prepare for Tropical Storm Elsa or for any future storm, download their checklists and more free resources by clicking here.