One-day-only hurricane event: prepping Fort Myers for storms

More than a hundred people turned out at Barbara B. Mann Saturday to learn more about tropical systems, including Valerie Strode and her husband George.

Valerie Strode added, “I learned extra tips and tricks about things you can do in the house you know the lining the bathtub if you had to for the drinking water.”

The Weather Authority Team, led by Chief Meteorologist Matt Devitt, addressed several weather factors impacting Southwest Florida, like rapid intensification.

“Being from the Midwest, we understand tornadoes, we don’t really understand hurricanes. And having been through in some of the things kind of took us by surprise,” Norm Parker from Estero said.

Strode said she will leave next time a storm approaches, and explained, “The cover to the attic got sucked up into the attic and I felt the roof was coming. I was so scared.”

“In case there is one, we have already started putting together supplies, you know, and so forth our emergency planning, which is much better this year than what has been in the past,” said Parker.

The main takeaway from the talk? Be prepared.

“Don’t assume anything to be prepared and so forth. And hopefully if you are prepared, the outcome will be good,” explained Parker.

This talk comes more than two weeks into hurricane season and nearly nine months after Ian’s devastating strike on our coast. 

We saw Tropical Storm Arlene earlier this month. If the system off Africa develops as expected, the next name used would be Bret.

For more information on hurricane prep, The WINK News Hurricane Guide is available for free.

Stay tuned to The Weather Authority for all your tropical updates.