Weather Reminders

Weather predictions, storm warnings and safety precautions should not be ignored. Staying up-to-date with what’s going on with the weather can mean life or death.

UNPREDICTABLE!
If you have ever spent longer than two weeks in Florida, you’ve probably called the weather reporter a liar. Florida’s weather conditions are unpredictable and sporadic. It might be raining on one side of the highway, but not the other. Therefore, plan ahead in case weather takes a turn for the not-so-sunny.

Stock Up on Essentials: 

If visiting during a storm, when you arrive at your vacation rental, stock up on non-perishable food, drinking water, and other necessary supplies to last for at least three days. It’s also advisable to have a battery-operated radio, extra batteries, a portable phone charger, and a basic toolkit for any emergency repairs. 

Familiarize yourself with the evacuation plans and routes in the area where you’ll be staying. Determine the nearest hurricane evacuation zone and find out how to reach a safe location if a mandatory evacuation order is issued. Additionally, keep emergency contact numbers handy, such as local authorities, property management, and medical services, in case you need assistance during an evacuation. 

You can view evacuation zones, evacuation routes, and public shelters here.

If there’s a mandatory evacuation order for your area, we highly suggest you evacuate as soon as possible. The best place to be during a hurricane is far away from its path of potential destruction. They issue those orders for good reason, and getting far away from the hurricane is the easiest way to stay safe during it.

What to do during a hurricane depends on the scenario of whether you’re going to evacuate or not. If you decide to stay and forgo evacuating, you need to stay inside at all times and away from any windows and doors. Hurricanes are extremely powerful storms, which can thrust entire cars through the air without a moment’s notice.

Hurricanes can easily throw a two-by-four through a window or door. Even if you have impact-resistant windows and doors, it’s still a good idea to remain a safe distance away while the hurricane is passing through.

The second-best place to be during a hurricane is an interior room, such as a closet or bathroom, on the first floor of your home. Even if the storm seems to have calmed down and dissipated outside, stay inside because it may be the calm eye of the storm.

If you’re riding out the hurricane at a house, there’s a chance you can lose power supply to the house. 

A battery-powered portable radio can comes in handy. Having a portable radio that runs on battery power ensures you always have an internal connection with the outside world, so you can stay up to date about the storm system, path and when the hurricane has safely passed.

Tune into the National Weather Service, which is a frequency that broadcasts all storm forecasts, warnings and watches 24 hours a day. It’s also important to stock up on extra batteries before the storm, so you can stay tuned in after the storm.