I’ve taken extra-interest in this year’s hurricane season, patiently awaiting the day when a weather system would into a tropical storm and Gabrielle would be born. If you’ve ever had a weather system share the same name as you then maybe you understand my excitement. With NOAA predicting that Gabrielle could pay us a visit early next week, I’ve been busy checking that my hurricane supplies are up-to-date and recommend you do the same. With that said, here are some tips, tricks and ideas for getting through the rest of the hurricane season.
2013 HURRICANE NAMES
Andrea
Barry
Chantal
Dorian
Erin
Fernand
Gabrielle – here we are, obviously we still have a ways to go before the hurricane season ends on November 1.
Humberto
Ingrid
Jerry
Karen
Lorenzo
Melissa
Nestor
Olga
Pablo
Rebekah
Sebastien
Tanya
Van
Wendy
Hurricane Kit:
EVERY household in Bermuda should have a hurricane kit, complete with all the hurricane essentials. Depending on where on the island you live and how many people you live with, some items in the kit are negotiable but it’s a necessary that you keep your kit up-to-date during hurricane season.
Every kit should include:
Food and Water – Enough for 3 days
Battery powered radio with extra batteries
Kerosene lamps with extra kerosene and matches or battery powered lamps
Duct tape
Tarpaulin
Boards for windows without shutters
First aid kit
Whistle to signal for help
Moist towelettes for cleaning hands
Garbage bags
Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
Manual can opener for food
Cell phone with chargers
ESSENTIAL APPS
In addition to Candy Crush, here are some apps that are essential to weathering any storm.
Hurricane Tracker – $4.99
AccuWeather – Free
NOAA Radar Pro – Storm Alerts – $3.99
Hurricane Pro – $2.99
IMPORTANT NUMBERS AND WEBSITES
For information about approaching storms, tune in or log on to the following:
Hurricane preparedness: www.emo.gov.bm
Online weather updates: www.weather.bm
Televised weather updates: CableVision Ch. 4 and WOW Ch. 100
For The Public Forecast: Dial 977
For The Current Observation: Dial 9771
For The Marine Forecast: Dial 9772
For Latest Warnings and Tropical Information: Dial 9773
Government’s Emergency Broadcast station is 100.1 FM
Hurricane Cocktails
Let’s be serious for a second, what’s a hurricane without a hurricane party? At your next hurricane throw-down, mix this delicious hurricane cocktail and wait the storm out in a full-hot blur.
Ingredients
12 ounces light rum
12 ounces dark rum
10 ounces grenadine, or passion fruit syrup
10 ounces fresh orange juice
10 ounces sour mix, or fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons superfine sugar, or more to taste
1 large orange, cut into 1/4-inch thick slices
Directions
Mix all the ingredients in a tall pitcher or large pot and stir to dissolve the sugar. Pour into a punch bowl and add the ice cubes and orange segments. Serve in tall glasses over ice with straws.
