HEALTHIER LOUISIANA TOGETHER. BECAUSE STRONGER IMMUNITY IS BUILD STRONGER COMMUNITIES. MORGAN LENTES AND DARRYL FORGES EVERY DAY ON WDSU NEWS THIS MORNING. IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA, YOU NEED TO GET READY NOW. PLAN, PREPARE AND TAKE THE STEPS YOU NEED TO KEEP YOUR FAMILY SAFE THROUGHOUT HURRICANE SEASON. THE WDSU FIRST WARNING WEATHER TEAM IS HERE TO GUIDE YOU THROUGH THE UNPREDICTABLE BREAKDOWN. THE RISK OF STORM SURGE, NAVIGATE THE INSURANCE STRUGGLES SO MANY ARE FACING, AND WALK YOU THROUGH THE SIMPLE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR HOME RIGHT NOW. IN CASE A STORM HEADS OUR WAY. THE STRESS OF ANOTHER HURRICANE SEASON IS BUILDING WITH EXTREMELY WARM WATER IN PARTS OF THE ATLANTIC BASIN, AND THE LOOMING THREAT OF A HURRICANE IS TOP OF MIND. YEAH, AND YOU CAN NEVER BE TOO PREPARED FOR WHAT MAY COME OUR WAY. WE BEGIN WITH THIS YEAR’S FIRST WARNING HURRICANE OUTLOOK, AND IT’S LOOKING TO BE A VERY ACTIVE ONE. SO HERE’S THE 2024 HURRICANE SEASON OUTLOOK FROM NOAA. THEIR OFFICIAL PREDICTION OF 17 TO 25 NAMED STORMS IS THE HIGHEST NUMBER OF NAMED STORMS THEY’VE EVER ISSUED. 8 TO 13 OF THOSE NAMED STORMS BEING HURRICANES, OF WHICH 4 TO 7 BEING MAJOR HURRICANES. CATEGORY THREE OR HIGHER. COMPARE THAT TO THE AVERAGE NUMBERS ON YOUR LEFT, DOCTOR PHILIP KLOTZBACH, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY ISSUED HIS FORECAST FOR SEVERAL WEEKS EARLIER. 23 NAMED STORMS, 11 HURRICANES, FIVE OF THOSE BEING MAJOR HURRICANES AND THEN HERE’S OUR FORECAST AT WDSU WITH THOSE NUMBERS RIGHT IN LINE 18 TO 24 NAMED STORMS, 8 TO 12 HURRICANES, 3 TO 6 OF THOSE BEING MAJOR HURRICANES. SO AN EXTREMELY ACTIVE SEASON IS BEING FORECAST NO MATTER HOW YOU LOOK AT THAT PARTICULAR FORECAST FROM ANY OF OUR DIFFERENT SOURCES SHOWN HERE. BUT THAT DOESN’T MEAN WE’LL BE HIT BY A STORM OR HURRICANE. ACCORDING TO THE DIRECTOR OF THE NATIONAL HURRICANE CENTER, MIKE BRENNAN, THERE ARE OTHER THINGS TO CONSIDER. BUT, YOU KNOW, AGAIN, IN TERMS OF HOW EXACTLY THAT’S GOING TO PLAY OUT, WHERE THE STORMS FORM, YOU KNOW, THEY FORM EASTERN, EASTERN PART OF THE BASIN LIKE THEY DID LAST YEAR. MOST OF THEM DIDN’T MAKE IT TO THE WESTERN PART OF THE BASIN. OR DO WE HAVE MORE SYSTEMS THAT FORM IN THE WEST, WESTERN PART OF THE BASIN, THEN BECOME THOSE SHORT TERM THREATS, ESPECIALLY FOR FLORIDA AND FOR THE GULF COAST? SO THERE ARE TWO KEY FACTORS THAT HAVE RESULTED IN A VERY ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON FORECAST. ONE OF THOSE IS THE UNUSUAL WARMTH ACROSS THE ATLANTIC BASIN, AND THE OTHER ONE IS EL NINO. BECOMING A LA NINA. AS WE APPROACH THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SEASON. KEEP IN MIND THAT THESE TWO PHENOMENA AFFECT ATMOSPHERIC PATTERNS AROUND THE GLOBE. FOR US HERE IN THE WINTER, IT RESULTS IN LOWER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES. AND WHAT ARE THE NORMAL CONDITIONS WHEN EL NINO IS IN EFFECT, WHEN LA NINA IS IN EFFECT, JUST THE OPPOSITE. WARMER THAN NORMAL TEMPERATURES AND DRIER THAN NORMAL CONDITIONS WITH LESS RAINFALL. EL NINO IS IN EFFECT RIGHT NOW, WHICH FOR US MEANS MORE WIND SHEAR BECAUSE THE WATER TEMPERATURES ARE ABOVE AVERAGE WHEN SIGNIFICANT WIND SHEAR IS PRESENT, ESPECIALLY WITH WEAKER SYSTEMS THAT WIND SHEAR TENDS TO DISPLACE THE CONVECTION AWAY FROM THE CENTER OF THE SYSTEM, WHICH INTERRUPTS THE DEVELOPMENT AND EVENTUALLY RESULTS IN ITS DEMISE. WHEN LA NINA IS IN EFFECT, THOSE STRONGER TRADE WINDS MOVE THE WARM WATER TO THE WEST. THE COOLER WATER FROM BELOW RISES TO THE TOP. WATER TEMPERATURES IN THIS ENTIRE REGION ARE BELOW AVERAGE, WHICH MEANS FOR US, LESS WIND SHEAR. KEEPING IN MIND THAT HURRICANES ARE VERTICAL SYSTEMS, ANYTHING THAT INHIBITS OR INTERRUPTS THAT VERTICAL DEVELOPMENT LEADS TO THE WEAKENING OF THE SYSTEM OR THE DEMISE OF THE SYSTEM ALTOGETHER. WITH LA NINA EXPECTED TO DEVELOP AS WE APPROACH THE HEIGHT OF HURRICANE SEASON, FOR US, THAT’S LESS WIND SHEAR, WHICH MEANS MORE STORMS AS A STRONG HURRICANE IN THE GULF IS SCARY ENOUGH. BUT A STORM THAT UNDERGOES WHAT WE CALL RAPID INTENSIFICATION IS CAUSE FOR MORE CONCERN AND IN RECENT YEARS, IT’S HAPPENING MORE FREQUENTLY. MANY HURRICANES HAVE RAPIDLY STRENGTHENED OVER A SHORT AMOUNT OF TIME. IN 2007, HURRICANE HUMBERTO INCREASED ITS WIND 65MPH OVER A 24 HOUR PERIOD. IN 2020, THE WINDS IN HURRICANE LAURA INCREASED BY 45MPH IN A DAYS TIME, BUT TWO STORMS WERE VERY FAMILIAR WITH ALSO UNDERWENT RAPID INTENSIFICATION. HURRICANE IDA’S WINDS INCREASED BY 60MPH WITHIN 24 HOURS, MAKING LANDFALL AS A DEADLY CATEGORY FOUR STORM AND HURRICANE KATRINA RAPIDLY INTENSIFIED NOT ONLY ONCE BUT TWICE, IN ITS SECOND ROUND OF RAPID INTENSIFICATION, THE STORM’S WINDS INCREASED BY 50MPH IN JUST 12 HOURS. RAPID INTENSIFICATION IS DEFINED AS WHEN THE WINDS OF A TROPICAL CYCLONE INCREASE BY 30 KNOTS, OR ABOUT 35MPH, IN A 24 HOUR PERIOD. WHAT MAKES A STORM UNDERGO RAPID INTENSIFICATION? A STUDY PUBLISHED IN 2003 OUTLINED FIVE ATTRIBUTES THAT CAN SERVE AS PREDICTIVE FACTORS IN RAPID INTENSIFICATION. ONE ONE HOW THE STORM’S INTENSITY CHANGED IN THE PREVIOUS 12 HOURS TWO HOW WARM THE WATER TEMPERATURES ARE THREE HOW HUMID THE AIR IS AT SEA LEVEL FOUR HOW MUCH VERTICAL WIND SHEAR IS IN THE STORM’S PATH AND FIVE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN ITS CURRENT STRENGTH AND THE MAXIMUM POTENTIAL STRENGTH IT COULD HAVE. FIRST OF ALL, IT TAKES WATER TEMPS OF OVER 80 DEGREES TO FORM AND SUSTAIN A TROPICAL CYCLONE. BUT WHAT’S MOST CONCERNING TO US IS HOW WARM THE GULF OF MEXICO’S WATER TEMPERATURES ARE COMPARED TO THE REST OF THE ATLANTIC. IT’S NOT UNCOMMON TO FIND WATER TEMPERATURES UPWARDS OF 8687 TO 88 DEGREES IN THE PEAK OF THE SEASON. THAT’S LIKE WARM BATHTUB WATER AND PROVIDES AN EXTRAORDINARY AMOUNT OF ENERGY THAT CAN BE USED TO FORM A MONSTER HURRICANE WATER TEMPERATURE IS ONE OF THE MOST TELLING OF THE FIVE PREDICTIVE FACTORS TO INDICATE IF A STORM WILL UNDERGO RAPID, INTENSIFYING OCEAN. THAT’S WHY IT’S SO CONCERNING TO US WHEN A YOUNG STORM, OR ONE THAT’S JUST FORMED, ENTERS THE GULF OF MEXICO AND ENCOUNTERS SUCH WARM WATERS, GIVING IT A MUCH HIGHER CHANCE TO RAPIDLY INTENSIFY. SO IT’S SORT OF WHEREVER THOSE CAN GET CONDITIONS KIND OF LINE, EVEN IF IT’S OVER A SMALL AREA. IF THE STORM HAPPENS TO BE IN THAT SPOT, WE CAN SEE IT HAPPEN. EVEN WORSE, IF A YOUNG, RELATIVELY WEAK HURRICANE ISN’T THAT FAR OFF OUR COAST AND STRENGTHENS RAPIDLY, THAT DOESN’T GIVE US MUCH TIME TO REACT. THE MESSAGE IS ALWAYS, YOU GOT TO BE READY EVERY YEAR, ESPECIALLY ALONG THE GULF COAST. FOR THOSE AGAINST SHORT FUZED STORMS, WHICH CAN BE SOME OF THE MOST POWERFUL HURRICANES THAT MAKE LANDFALL IN THE US, RAPID INTENSIFICATION FACTORS INTO MAKING PLANS FOR YOUR EVACUATION. IT IS ALSO A MAJOR CONCERN FOR EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT LEADERS WHO ARE DEDICATED TO MAKING SURE PLANS ARE IN PLACE TO HELP YOU GET OUT OF TOWN QUICKLY AND SAFELY. WE TALK ABOUT IT A LOT. THIS RAPID INTENSIFICATION, AND WHEN YOU’VE GOT A HURRICANE THAT CAN GO FROM A TROPICAL STORM TO A CATEGORY THREE IN A MATTER OF DAYS, YOU KNOW, HOW DO YOU HOW DO YOU PLAN FOR THAT? WHAT WE’VE COME UP WITH IS PLANS THAT ADDRESS SOMEWHAT OF AN ABILITY TO CREATE A HYBRID SITUATION WHERE THERE IS THE POTENTIAL THAT WE WOULD EVACUATE PEOPLE AHEAD OF THE STORM ON. AND I’M TALKING ABOUT A VERY SHORT TIMELINE, BUT WE’RE ALSO DEVELOPING PLANS THAT POSSIBLY HAVE TO REFUGE FOLKS AS WELL, PARTICULARLY THOSE THAT ARE MEDICALLY AT AND VULNERABLE AND ELDERLY, THAT REALLY ARE NOT GOING TO HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY TO GET OUT OF THE CITY IN AN APPROPRIATE AMOUNT OF TIME. THE CITY MAY HAVE TO ASSIST PEOPLE WITH EITHER LEAVING OR WITH JUST HOLDING PEOPLE IN ONE PLACE. WHILE THE STORM PASSES THROUGH, AND THEN DOING A VERY ROBUST POST STORM. EVACUATE IF NECESSARY. WHAT’S NEW WITH CONTRAFLOW? SO ESSENTIALLY YOU HAVE THREE INTERSTATES RUNNING IN ONE DIRECTION. TWO OF THOSE GO THROUGH MISSISSIPPI ON THEIR WAY OUT. AND SO THERE IS A LOT OF OF CROSS STATE, BOTH INTER AND INTRA STATE COORDINATION THAT HAVE TO OCCUR THERE. THE ISSUE IS THE ABILITY TO GET THAT COORDINATION. AND ALL OF THOSE RESOURCES IN PLACE IN A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF TIME TO ENACT IT. WHEN YOU ARE IN A IN A SITUATION WHERE YOU HAVE, UH, A VERY RAPIDLY FORMING STORM OR INTENSIFYING STORM IS A CHALLENGE. IF YOU PLAN ON EVACUATING OR STAYING HOME FOR A HURRICANE, PROTECTING YOUR HOUSE IS KEY. REGARDLESS. WDSU FIRST WARNING METEOROLOGIST DEREK SIBLEY WALKS YOU THROUGH ON HOW TO FORTIFY YOUR HOME. WHETHER YOU’RE STAYING OR GOING, FORTIFYING YOUR HOME IS CRUCIAL TO PROTECT YOU AND YOUR FAMILY BEFORE A STORM STRIKES. HERE, WE SHOW YOU HOW TO BEST PROPERLY PROTECT YOUR HOME. APPRECIATE IT. FORTIFYING A ROOF IS KEY NOWADAYS, AS MANY HOMES ACROSS OUR AREA ARE GETTING NEW ROOFS. THERE IS EVEN GOVERNMENT FUNDING OUT THERE TO HELP PAY FOR IT. SO PEOPLE CALL ME ALL THE TIME AND SAY, HEY, I JUST GOT A BRAND NEW ROOF AFTER IDA. SHOULD I GET A FORTIFIED ROOF? MY ANSWER IS YES. THE REASON BEING IS THE FORTIFIED ROOFING SYSTEM IS A SCIENTIFIC METHOD OF INSTALLING A ROOF. WE STOPPED BY THIS GENTILLY HOME, GETTING A NEW ROOF INSTALLED. WE REINFORCE THE PLYWOOD WITH RING SHANK NAILS TO MAKE SURE THAT THE PLYWOOD DON’T BLOW AWAY. SO YOU HAVE LEVELS OF PROTECTION WITH THE FORTIFIED ROOF. EARL MACKEY IS A LONGTIME ROOFER AND CONTRACTOR. WE TALKED TO HIM ABOUT BEST PROTECTING YOUR HOME FROM A HURRICANE. SO THE WINDS ARE A BIG PROBLEM WHEN IT COMES TO TREES. THEY TOPPLE OVER. THEY CAN HIT THE HOMES. WHAT DO YOU BEST RECOMMEND TO PREP HOMES FROM TREES THAT ARE NEARBY? WELL, SEE THIS TREE HERE, DEREK? YOU SEE THE LIMBS RIGHT NOW. IT’S NOT TOUCHING THE ROOF, BUT WHEN YOU HAVE THOSE STRONG HIGH IMPACT WINDS, THE TREE BECOME LIKE A BUNGEE CORD, RIGHT? AND IT’S GOING TO RUB AGAINST THE ROOF AND IT’S GOING TO BRUSH AWAY THE SHINGLES. IT’S GOING TO BRUSH AWAY THE UNDERLAYMENT. YOU’RE GOING TO BE BARE WOOD. SO IT’S BEST TO MAKE SURE YOU TRIM THE BRANCHES AWAY FROM THE HOME AT LEAST 2 TO 3FT AWAY TO MAKE SURE THOSE LONG BRANCHES DON’T EXTEND TO THE ROOF AND CAUSE YOU DAMAGE DURING A WINDSTORM, MACKEY SAYS ALL GUTTERS SHOULD BE CLEARED BEFORE HURRICANE SEASON STARTS, SO, EARL, WE CAN’T FORGET ABOUT THE DOORS, RIGHT? HOW CAN PEOPLE BEST PROTECT THEIR DOORS FROM A STORM? SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOU HAVE HIGH IMPACT RATED DOORS AND ALSO HIGH IMPACT RATED WINDOWS DURING A STORM. AND ALSO, IF YOU EVACUATE LATE, YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE YOU HAVE A STRONG LOCK IN CASE YOU HAVE PEOPLE WHO WANT TO, YOU KNOW, BECOME INTRUDERS WHILE YOU’RE AWAY. SO YOU WANT TO MAKE SURE THAT YOUR YOUR DOORS AND YOUR WINDOWS ARE SAFE AND PROTECTED AND GENTILLY A METEOROLOGIST, ERIC SIBLEY, WDSU NEWS. AND NOW IS A GOOD TIME TO LOOK OVER YOUR INSURANCE DOCUMENTS. KNOW WHAT YOUR COVERAGE LOOKS LIKE AND MAKE LAST MINUTE CHANGES IF NECESSARY. HERE’S WDSU ANCHOR SULA KIM WITH WHAT YOU NEED TO DO TO MINIMIZE YOUR RISK AND TO BETTER INSURE YOUR PROPERTIES. IF IT’S NOT A HURRICANE, CORRECT. ELIZABETH IS REVIEWING HER INSURANCE POLICY AHEAD OF ANY POTENTIAL THREAT THIS HURRICANE SEASON. SHE’S GOING OVER DETAILS WITH HER INSURANCE AGENT, LEE MILLER, SO SHE UNDERSTANDS HER COVERAGE IN DETAIL. SO I HAVE A PHYSICAL COPY WITH ME NOW. UM, AND, AND I HAVE TALKED TO HIM A LOT. HE WAS A BIG PART OF THE CONVERSATION. ON WHAT TYPE OF DEDUCTIBLE TO GET AND HOW TO PREPARE FOR THAT. MILLER SAYS FIRST, MAKE SURE YOU CAN AFFORD YOUR DEDUCTIBLE, WHICH IS USUALLY 2 TO 5% OF YOUR PROPERTY VALUE. SO YOU KNOW YOU WANT TO BE MINDFUL OF WHAT YOUR DEDUCTIBLE IS. CAN YOU AFFORD IT? SHOULD YOU BE RESPONSIBLE FOR IT? THE PROBLEM WITH DEDUCTIBLES ARE YOU CAN ONLY RAISE THEM IN THE MIDDLE OF A POLICY TERM. YOU CANNOT LOWER THEM. SECOND, MAKE SURE YOUR POLICY COVERS YOUR HOME AT REPLACEMENT COST, TAKING INTO CONSIDERATION IF YOU HAVE TO REBUILD THE VALUE OF YOUR HOUSE MAY HAVE INCREASED SINCE YOU BOUGHT IT, AND EVEN THE COST OF LUMBER AND MATERIALS HAS GONE UP. AND IT’S NOT THE AMOUNT YOU PAID FOR YOUR HOME, IT’S THE AMOUNT IT WOULD TAKE TO REBUILD YOUR HOME. SO IT’S A BIG DIFFERENCE. AND PEOPLE, A LOT OF PEOPLE DON’T REALIZE THAT. THIRD, HE ENCOURAGES YOU TO GET FLOOD INSURANCE IF YOU DON’T HAVE IT ALREADY. THERE IS A 30 DAY WAITING PERIOD BEFORE A FLOOD INSURANCE POLICY TAKES EFFECT. SO NOW IS THE TIME TO SHOP AND GATHER YOUR IMPORTANT DOCUMENTS LIKE SOCIAL SECURITY CARDS, BIRTH CERTIFICATES AND BANKING INFORMATION AND KEEP THEM IN WATERPROOF CONTAINERS OR BAGS OR SAVE DIGITAL COPIES. AND WHILE YOU’RE GETTING YOUR DOCUMENTS READY, DON’T FORGET TO TIDY UP OUTSIDE OF THE HOUSE. EXPERTS ADVISE YOU TO CLEAN THOSE CATCH BASINS, REMOVE DEBRIS AND TRIM THOSE TREE BRANCHES, ESPECIALLY IF THEY’RE HANGING TOO CLOSE TO THE ROOF. AND REMEMBER, TAKE INVENTORY OF YOUR HOUSE INSIDE AND OUT. TAKE PHOTOS BEFORE THE STORM AND AFTER. IF THERE’S DAMAGE, TAKE PICTURES. VIDEO OF THE INTERIOR OF YOUR HOME. YOU KNOW IF YOU HAVE A TOTAL LOSS. IT’S A LOT EASIER TO EXPLAIN WHAT YOU LOST. IF YOU HAVE SOME SORT OF DIGITAL IMAGE OF IT. FOR ELIZABETH, BEING PREPARED GIVES HER A PEACE OF MIND, SHE SAYS. LIVING IN SOUTHEAST LOUISIANA HAS ITS RISKS. WITH HURRICANE SEASON EACH YEAR, BUT SHE WOULDN’T HAVE IT ANY OTHER WAY. NO, I WOULDN’T I WOULDN’T LIVE ANYWHERE ELSE. SULA KIM WDSU NEWS. PROTECTING MORE PEOPLE AND PROPERTY AND THE RIVER PARISHES. THE EXPANSIVE LEVEE PROTECTION PROJECT DESIGNED TO REDUCE THE IMPACTS OF STORM SURGE, IMPROVED BUT STILL VULNERABLE, THE STEPS BEING TAKEN BY LOCAL UTILITIES TO HARDEN THE ELECTRICAL GRID. WDSU NEWS GET READY NOW HURRICANE SPECIAL, SPONSORED BY ENTERGY. WE POWER LIFE EGON INSURANCE, A HIGGINBOTHAM PARTNER, AN