Hurricane season begins today, and the City of Pensacola is advising residents to prepare for the effects of potential hurricanes or other weather related events.
Hurricanes carry with them the threat of high winds, tornados, heavy rain fall and flooding. It is not just category four and five storms that cause damage; lower level storms also bring the risk of flooding, road closures, and power outages.
The Climate Prediction Center forecasts a normal season is ahead, likely with 10 to 16 named storms, including Alex and Bonnie. Four to eight storms could become hurricanes, and at least one or as many as four of them could become major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph.
It is important that the citizens of Pensacola familiarize themselves with the right steps to take in the event of a storm so that the safety of their family, pets, home and businesses are better protected.
The city will be working closely with Escambia County this hurricane season to provide the citizens of Pensacola with all of the information they need to properly prepare for a storm. In the event of a hurricane, Escambia County is the lead authority when the Emergency Operations Center is activated. The City of Pensacola functions in a supportive role.
Please prepare yourself, your family, and your home or business in the event of a hurricane or other disaster. Safety tips, preparation checklists, and evacuation routes can be found on the county’s hurricane preparedness page at www.myescambia.com/beready, or on our City of Pensacola website at cityofpensacola.com/beready.
Click the link below to watch Mayor Hayward's PSA for the 2016 Hurricane Season.