JACKSONVILLE, Fla. – With hurricane season just around the corner, it’s time to familiarize yourself with some weather terms that can help keep you and your family safe.
During this Hurricane Preparedness Week, News4JAX wants to help you sort things out.
Understanding forecast information is important when a storm is headed your way. With hurricane season a month away, NOAA is sharing some important reminders.
First, know your alerts and the difference between a watch and a warning.
- A watch means impact are possible
- A warning means it’s happening or expected to happen soon
Another thing, do not focus on a specific storm category.
Remember, all hurricanes and tropical storms have the potential to bring life-threatening weather like storm surge, flooding and damaging winds.
In 2021, an active-duty Navy airman was killed during Tropical Storm Elsa when a falling tree branch landed on his vehicle while he was driving on Roosevelt Boulevard in the Ortega neighborhood.
Finally, don’t assume just because you’re not in the forecast cone that you’re safe. Impacts can be felt far from the storm’s center.
The cone shows where the storm’s center will probably travel. The cone does not represent the size of the storm in any way.
And The Weather Authority’s David Heckard explains there’s a lot the forecast cone doesn’t tell you: Read more.