Highlighted Websites:
Weather
Once again it's the time of year when our interests turn to tropical weather. Hurricane season can be a time of stress, but there are a variety of sites on the web that will greatly increase your knowledge and preparedness.
Terrebonne Readiness & Assistance Coalition (TRAC)
(www.trac-la.com link removed)
TRAC provides a comprehensive site with a variety of links devoted to hurricane preparation, tracking, general education, and recovery. A drop-down menu is also available for specific information regarding evacuation shelters and routes for each parish. Kids and those young at heart will be delighted to find "TRAC Kids," which teaches about the serious subject of natural disasters in a fun way through games and stories. A brief booklet entitled "Surviving the Storm," and sponsored by TRAC, Entergy, and the City of New Orleans, is available at your local post office should you wish to inform friends and family without easy access to the Internet.
City of New Orleans Office of Emergency Preparedness
(www.gnofn.org/~offemerg/nooep_home.html link removed)
This homepage has links to phone numbers for city departments and agencies, as well as a guide for citizens with disabilities, and, of course, emergency preparedness information in general.
Hurricane Hunters
(www.hurricanehunters.com link removed)
For the closest view possible of the actual storm without the wind and rain, join the famous Hurricane Hunters as they fly right into the eye of the storm. Links to past storm information and the current storm are provided. Don't miss out on your chance to take a "Cyberflight Into the Eye"!
Weather Online! from the National Weather Service
(www.srcc.lsu.edu link removed)
Just click on "Tropical Weather" and a variety of maps are available including animated satellite loops, strike probabilities, and warnings/watches for current storms. Links to related sources are provided to monitor storm activity throughout the southern region.
FAQ: Hurricanes, Typhoons, and Tropical Cyclones
(www.aoml.noaa.gov link removed)
If you have a specific question in mind such as, "What is a Cape Verde-type hurricane?" and just can't find the answer anywhere else, a visit to this site will be very enlightening. Basic definitions concerning tropical storms are also addressed.
American Red Cross
(www.redcross.org link removed)
This site is devoted to helping the general public be as prepared as possible for a hurricane and provides specific information on putting together survival kits, the definitions of a watch versus a warning, and what to do in each case. A listing of the services provided by the Red Cross is also available, as well as what you can do to help during and after a disaster.
-- David Wolff
dwolff@lsumc.edu link removed