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Each year, World Wetlands Day is celebrated on February 2nd. Wetlands come in many forms and go by many names – estuaries, bogs, mangrove swamps, vernal pools, marshes, riparian wetlands, cypress swamps, playa lakes and more! Wetland areas improve water quality, provide flood protection and support tons of fish, wildlife and plants. If you’ve been [...]

Severe weather events—hurricanes, flooding, tsunamis, storms and heat waves—can be bad news for estuaries. Strong storms, particularly hurricanes, tropical storms, and nor’easters, can wreak havoc on estuarine ecosystems. While only about a third of all hurricanes make landfall, those that do can create dramatic surges in water levels that can push saltwater into coastal freshwater [...]

Recent flooding, wildfires and earthquakes provide good reminders of the importance of being prepared for natural disasters and other emergencies. According to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center, there have been 10 billion-dollar weather disasters so far in 2011, including flooding from Hurricane Irene; drought, heat waves and wildfires in the Southern Plains and Southwest; and [...]

Winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Irene took a toll on many communities.  As flood waters recede, many home and business owners will be facing cleanup activities. Viewer Tip: When the water goes down, keep these tips in mind to assess damage and begin clean-up activities safely: Pay close attention to your local media for [...]

A major threat hurricanes and tropical storms bring to land is inland flooding, which results from intense rainfall from the storms. The intensity of rainfall does not directly relate to the wind speed of the storm, however – some intense flooding events occur during weaker storms that slowly drift or stall over one area.  A [...]

May 22-28, 2011 is Hurricane Preparedness Week.  Hurricanes come with many hazards – storm surge, high winds, heavy rains, inland flooding and even tornadoes. The official Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.  As peak season approaches, it is important to understand and prepare for hurricane hazards, even if you [...]

September is National Preparedness Month! A national preparedness survey by the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) found that of respondents who considered themselves prepared for an emergency, 35 percent did not have a household plan, 77 percent had not conducted a home evacuation drill, and 73 percent did not know community evacuation routes. Viewer Tip: [...]

Strong, gusty winds associated with tropical storms can easily carry away trash and other large items.  Blowing debris can cause injury, damage property and harm wildlife. Viewer Tip: Prepare your property for high winds by making sure your home and belongings are secure. Bring lawn furniture, outdoor decorations, trash cans, potted and hanging plants, and [...]

Have you ever wanted to help keep your community by reporting severe weather?  SKYWARN is a volunteer network of nearly 290,000 trained severe weather spotters around the country.  SKYWARN spotters help keep their local communities safe by providing timely and accurate information to the National Weather Service about weather events like thunderstorms, winter weather and [...]

May 23-29, 2010 is Hurricane Preparedness Week.  Hurricanes encompass many hazards – storm surge, high winds, heavy rains, flooding and even tornadoes. The official Atlantic Hurricane Season begins on June 1 and ends on November 30.  As peak season approaches, it is important to understand and prepare for hurricane hazards. Viewer Tip: This is the [...]

February 21-27 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Oklahoma.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Oklahoma, including tornadoes, flash floods and thunderstorms. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set aside will help ensure you [...]

February 21-27 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Louisiana.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Louisiana, including flash floods, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set aside will help ensure [...]

February 22-26 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Arkansas.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Arkansas, including flash floods, thunderstorms and tornadoes. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set aside [...]

February 22-26 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Arizona.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Arizona, including flash floods, thunderstorms and damaging winds. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set [...]

February 22-26 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Alabama.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Alabama, including flash floods, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set [...]

February 21-27 is Severe Weather Awareness Week in Texas.  This is a great time to make sure you and your family are prepared for the kinds of severe weather experienced in Texas, including flash floods, thunderstorms, tornadoes and hurricanes. Viewer Tip: Consider building or updating your family emergency preparedness kit this week.  Having supplies set aside will help ensure [...]

An average of 11 tropical storms develop each year over the Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean Sea and Atlantic Ocean.  While many of those storms stay over the ocean without impacting the U.S., about five hurricanes will strike the U.S. Coastline from Texas to Maine in a given three-year period, with two being Category 3 (111-130 [...]

If your home or business was damaged by winds or flood waters from Hurricane Ike, you are probably beginning to make repairs.  Viewer Tip: As you clean up and rebuild, remember that there are ways to retrofit your property so that it will better withstand hurricane conditions, should they occur again. Roof: Bracing gabled roofs [...]

September is National Preparedness Month, sponsored by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security (DHS) to encourage all Americans to take easy steps to prepare for natural disasters and emergencies at home, work, and school.  A study conducted by the Ad Council and DHS in 2006 found that 91 percent of respondents said it was “very” [...]

Winds and heavy rain from Hurricane Ike took a toll on Houston and surrounding communities.  As flood waters recede, many home and business owners will be facing cleanup activities. Viewer Tip: When the water goes down, keep these tips in mind to assess damage and begin clean-up activities safely: Pay close attention to your local [...]