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Flood

Hurricane Matthew Is On It’s Way

Last night, the trajectory of Hurricane Matthew shifted to the west, according to the advisory of the National Hurricane Center. This means that according to the current models Hurricane Matthew is expected to skirt along the east coast of Florida and the Carolinas beginning this Thursday, potentially making a landfall in the outer banks of North Carolina this weekend.

This is a large and powerful hurricane about the size of Arizona. Even if Hurricane Matthew does not make direct landfall along the east coast of Florida or the Carolinas, the storm is wide enough that areas along the east coast of these states are expected to feel hurricane force winds as well as experience substantial amounts of rain and storm surge. Due to the size of Hurricane Matthew, areas in central Florida and on the west coast of Florida may also feel tropical storm or hurricane force winds and experience substantial rainfall. If the storm track shifts further to the west, and the storm makes landfall as a Category 3 hurricane, the effects would be much worse for the area in which it makes landfall.

Therefore, everyone along the east coast of Florida and the Carolinas should begin making appropriate preparations, while those in central and western Florida should be prepared for strong wind and rain. We will provide another update late afternoon today.

As always, we encourage you to stay alert and make all necessary preparations in an attempt to minimize the impact of possible flooding on your homes and businesses:
• Monitor your surroundings and NOAA weather alerts;
• Review your disaster response and recovery plan with your staff and/or family members;
• Make sure you have plenty of drinking water and food reserves;
• Ensure that important document files are backed up away from your property so they aren’t lost if electronics and paper files are destroyed by water;
• Take all necessary steps to prevent the release of dangerous chemicals that may be stored on the property;
• Contact your property insurance agent.

It only takes one storm to make it a bad year for your business. We have substantial expertise assessing, insuring, and mitigating flood risk. Stay alert and contact us to learn how we may be able to improve how you insure your client’s flood risk.

Into the Peak of the Hurricane Season

Although the Atlantic hurricane season officially began on June 1st, the hurricane activity peaks from mid-August through mid-October – a period commonly referred to as a “season within the season”, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Weather experts view this time of the year as the most active and dangerous time for tropical cyclone activity, accounting for 78 percent of the tropical storm days, 87 percent of the category 1 and 2 hurricane days, and 96 percent of the major (category 3, 4 and 5) hurricane days.

Just two weeks ago a slow-moving area of low pressure and near-record amounts of atmospheric moisture led to extreme rainfall and historic flooding in southeast Louisiana.

Last night, Tropical Depression Nine, the area previously called Invest 99L, developed just south of Florida and moves near the Florida Keys, western Cuba and southern Florida, according to the National Hurricane Center. While it currently remains poorly organized, meteorologists predict that the system could become a tropical storm as it turns northward then northeastward over the Gulf of Mexico this week, and could cause heavy rain and localized flash flooding.

Despite the level of weather activity as we move into the peak of the hurricane season, we encourage you to stay alert and make all necessary preparations in an attempt to minimize the impact of possible flooding on your business:
• Monitor your surroundings and NOAA weather alerts;
• Review your disaster response and recovery plan with your staff and/or family members;
• Ensure that important document files are backed up away from your property so they aren’t lost if electronics and paper files are destroyed by water;
• Take all necessary steps to prevent the release of dangerous chemicals that may be stored on the property;
• Contact your property insurance agent.

It only takes one storm to make it a bad year for your business. Our flood team has substantial expertise assessing, insuring, and mitigating flood risk. Contact us to learn how we may be able to improve how you insure your client’s flood risk.

Flood Warning: Major Flash Flooding Hits Houston Region with More Rain to Come

As a slow-moving low pressure system is pushing from the Rockies in the nation’s midsection, torrential rainfall is causing major flash flooding in parts of southeast Texas. The Houston area is particularly affected, witnessing over 17 inches of rain that fell on Monday alone, as reported by local meteorologists.

According to the Flood Warning issued by the National Weather Service (NWS) earlier this morning, additional rounds of rainfall are expected over the next several days for flood-prone parts of Texas, Oklahoma and Louisiana, including the Houston metro area. Located on the Gulf of Mexico, Houston is prone to heavy rains, and has seen a number of flooding events in the last year alone. However, this flood is by far the largest since Tropical Storm Allison (2001), making April 18th the second wettest calendar day on record for official reporting stations in Houston, dating back to 1888.

Since flash floods develop quickly, Agency Flood Resources encourages all those affected to stay alert and follow all necessary safety tips:

  • Monitor your surroundings and NOAA weather alerts;
  • Avoid disaster areas and any water covered roads, as vehicles can be swept away by less than 2 feet of water;
  • Get out of low areas that may be subject to flooding;
  • Watch for washed out roads, earth slides, and downed trees or power lines;
  • Stay away from power lines and electrical wires.

Agency Flood Resources also warns not to return to flooded areas until authorities indicate it is safe to do so and to use extreme caution when entering buildings that were flooded. Additional tips include:

  • Do not enter a building if it is still flooded or surrounded by floodwater;
  • Check for structural damage, inspect foundations for cracks or other damage;
  • Take pictures of the damage, both of the building and its contents, for insurance claims;
  • Look for fire hazards, electrical system damage and broken utility lines;
  • Report damages to the local authorities and contact your property insurance agent.

Agency Flood Resources has substantial expertise assessing, insuring and mitigating flood risk, therefore please feel free to contact us with any questions you may have and to learn how we may be able to improve how you insure your client’s flood risk.


 

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