Get Ready for Heavy Rain: Tropical Storm Dolly Could Bring

Tag : Home Electrical Appliances
Flooding appears to be the biggest threat to the Victoriaarea when Dolly makes landfall near Brownsville on Wednesday,emergency officials said.
But tropical storm force winds of 40 mph or higher and tornadoesare also a possibility.
"Our biggest threat seems to be after the storm makes landfall,"said O.C. Garza, the city's public information officer. "We willprobably receive lots of rain and some storm force winds, dependingon where it tracks."
Forecasters issued a hurricane warning for the areas between PortO'Connor south to Brownsville. Tropical storm conditions are likelyalong the coast north of Port O'Connor, according to the NationalHurricane Center.
Forecaster Tim Tinsley with the National Weather Service saidgeneral rains of 5 to 10 inches are not out of the question. Areassouth of Victoria could receive up to 15 inches, he said.
"They're forecasting the system to slow as it comes to the coast,"Tinsley said. "If it slows as much as they're expecting, we canexpect heavy rain --very heavy rain."
That rain could begin tonight and continue through Thursday.
There is a 40- to 50-percent chance tropical storm winds will lashthe Victoria area, according to the National Hurricane Center Website. That's why emergency officials are urging residents to secureloose items in their yards, have canned goods and water on hand,top off fuel tanks and get prescriptions refilled.
Jeb Lacey, the Victoria County emergency management coordinator,said it's too early for him to feel comfortable telling people theyshould board up windows.
"Just be prepared for some high winds," he said. "But I don't wantto say people need to go out and start buying all the plywood intown."
Dolly is forecast to make landfall with sustained winds of about 92mph. But Tinsley said if it stays over the Gulf of Mexico longenough, it could become even stronger.
"The water in the western gulf is very warm, so that's something wehave to prepare for," he said.
The surf is expected to run about two feet above the normal waterlevel at Port O'Connor and beaches are forecast to flood.
David Tewes is a reporter for the Advocate. Contact him at361-580-6515 or dtewes@vicad.com.
Hurricane Preparation tipsBefore the Storm: Keep your vehicles' gastanks full. Stock non-perishable food supplies, prescriptionmedication, a first aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlights,and extra batteries in air-tight containers. Adjust refrigeratortemperatures to the coldest settings to reduce the potential forfood spoiling if the power is temporarily lost. Have a non-electricanalog telephone or a fully-charged cell phone available in caseyou need to make an emergency call during a power outage. Heed theadvice of local authorities. Evacuate if ordered. If an evacuationis necessary, unplug all appliances before leaving your home.During a Storm: Heed the advice of local authorities. Evacuate ifordered. If power is lost, turn off all major appliances to reducethe chances of damage if a power surge occurs when electricity isrestored. Do not take a bath or shower and avoid water faucets,which can conduct electricity. Do not handle any electricalequipment except for an emergency. After a Storm: Avoid downed,damaged or loose power lines and report them immediately to thelocal police and fire department as well as to the localtransmission and distribution services provider in your area. Neveruse a generator indoors, including garages, basements andcrawlspaces, even with ventilation. Exhaust fumes contain highlevels of carbon monoxide, which can be deadly if inhaled. Evenwhen left outside, keep generators away from doors and windows, andat least 10 feet away from your home. Also, allow your generator tocool off before refilling it with gas --splashing gas on hotgenerator components can lead to fire. Plug individual appliancesinto heavy duty, outdoor-rated extension cords and plug the cordsinto the generator. Check that the extension cords have a wiregauge adequate for the appliance loads. Make sure that each cord isfree of cuts or tears and its plug has all three prongs, especiallya grounding pin. Do not use electrical or gas appliances that havebeen wet, and do not turn on damaged appliances because of thehazards of electric shock or fire. Never use charcoal indoorsbecause burning charcoal produces high levels of carbon monoxidethat can reach lethal levels in enclosed spaces. Exercise cautionwhen using candles. Use flashlights instead, if possible. Do notdrive through standing water if downed power lines are in thewater. If a power line falls across your car while you are driving,stay inside the vehicle and continue to drive away from the line.If electrical circuits and electrical equipment have gotten wet, orare in or near water, turn off the power at the main breaker orfuse on the service panel. If you must enter standing water toaccess the main power switch, call an electrician to turn it off.When power is restored to your home, do not start all majorappliances at once; turn them on gradually to reduce damage tosensitive equipment.