Indy Digest Special: Aug. 19, 2023
So the beautiful and charming and sometimes-convection-oven-like place you call home is under a tropical storm warning for the first time, like, ever.
Now what?
Since we are not used to this sort of thing, I’ve put together a list of helpful tips and advice from various reliable sources. A lot of these items reflect simple common sense—but we humans sometimes forget or get overwhelmed or simply have brain farts, so common-sense reminders are good things.
• First and foremost … please take Hilary seriously. The Coachella Valley is under a tropical storm warning, not a watch. A watch means tropical storm conditions are possible; a warning means they’re expected. In other words, the very smart science types with satellites and computer models are expecting the Coachella Valley to get hit with sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour, along with a whole lot of rain.
• Watch for misinformation. Sources you can trust include The Desert Sun, The Palm Springs Post, News Channel 3, and local municipalities’ VERIFIED social-media accounts. Sources you can really, really trust include the National Weather Service, either at their website or via Twitter/X. Sources you should NOT implicitly trust include random people on Facebook, or Twitter X, or Nextdoor. Also, watch for imposters. A quick story: Around the Major League Baseball trade deadline every year, all sorts of fake social media accounts impersonating the top baseball journalists emerge, and start spreading fake trade news. Because some people are terrible, similar things happen during national disasters. VERIFY, VERIFY, VERIFY.
• Prepare for electricity and water-supply disruptions. Make sure all of your portable electronic devices are fully charged. Have a food and water supply available you can access should the power go out. That includes having a manual can opener. If you have a bath tub, consider filling it with water that you can use for washing, etc. If you have a battery-operated TV or radio, make sure you also have batteries.
• Stock up on things you may need over the next few days. Remember things your pets may need, too. No hoarding!
• If you’re producing a major pool party/electronic music festival that involves travel between multiple destinations and lots of young people who may not always make the best decisions, CANCEL THE DAMNED THING.
• If you have a yard or a patio, bring in or otherwise secure anything that could, say, start moving around in a 39 mph-plus wind.
• If you have any plans tomorrow or Monday, you may want to consider cancelling them. Driving anywhere, if the 3-10 inches of rain come as expected, will be no fun. A lot of businesses are already planning on closing, and various events not called “Splash House” are being postponed or cancelled.
• If you must travel, and your routes include going over/through the washes on Indian Canyon, Gene Autry or Vista Chino. … LOL. That’s not gonna happen. Have several alternate routes in mind, and give your self a lot of extra time.
• If you have to drive, and you come across a stream or wash or standing water, DO NOT DRIVE THROUGH IT. Don’t be an idiot and risk both your life and the lives of first responders, please.
• Watch out for your friends and neighbors. If you know of someone who, for whatever reason, may need assistance in preparing for the storm, please look in on them.
A lot of media types have been mentioning the 2019 Valentine’s Day storm as a reference for what’s likely to be coming our way. However, there are two differences between that storm and Hilary. First: We did not know the 2019 storm was coming, at least to the degree that it came. It took us by surprise. With Hilary, we have a little time to prepare. Use that time.
Second: As damaging and costly as that 2019 storm was, Hilary has the potential to be worse.
That brings me back to the first point above: Please take this storm seriously. There’s a chance it won’t be so bad, and that on Monday and Tuesday, my inbox will be filled with emails from people accusing “the media” of exaggerating things to “sell newspapers” or further some left-wing conspiracy.
I really, really hope that happens. But it probably won’t.
Below is some verbatim text from the National Weather Service’s tropical storm warning, last updated earlier this morning (as of this writing). Please take it to heart; the NWS is not prone to hyperbole or exaggeration. Note words like “threat to life and property,” “devastating to catastrophic” and even “situation is somewhat favorable for tornadoes.”
Please be prepared. Please be safe.
LATEST LOCAL FORECAST: Equivalent Tropical Storm force wind
• Peak Wind Forecast: 40-50 mph with gusts to 70 mph
• Window for Tropical Storm force winds: Sunday morning until Monday morning
THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for wind 39 to 57 mph
• The wind threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment.
• PLAN: Plan for hazardous wind of equivalent tropical storm force.
• PREPARE: Remaining efforts to protect property should be completed as soon as possible. Prepare for limited wind damage.
• ACT: Move to safe shelter before the wind becomes hazardous.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Limited damage to porches, awnings, carports, sheds, and unanchored mobile homes. Unsecured lightweight objects blown about.
• Many large tree limbs broken off. A few trees snapped or uprooted, but with greater numbers in places where trees are shallow rooted, especially in coastal and valley locations that don`t typically experience strong winds. Some fences and roadway signs blown over.
• A few roads impassable from debris, particularly within urban or heavily wooded places. Hazardous driving conditions on bridges and other elevated roadways.
• Scattered power and communications outages. …
THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for extreme flooding rain
• The flooding rain threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment.
• PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for extreme flooding from heavy rain. Evacuations and rescues are likely.
• PREPARE: Urgently consider protective actions from extreme and widespread rainfall flooding.
• ACT: Heed any flood watches and warnings. Failure to take action will likely result in serious injury or loss of life.
POTENTIAL IMPACTS: Devastating to Catastrophic
• Extreme rainfall flooding may prompt numerous evacuations and rescues.
• Rivers and tributaries may overwhelmingly overflow their banks in many places with deep moving water. Small streams, creeks, canals, arroyos, and ditches may become raging rivers. In mountain areas, deadly runoff may rage down valleys while increasing susceptibility to rockslides and mudslides. Flood control systems and barriers may become stressed.
• Flood waters can enter numerous structures within multiple communities, some structures becoming uninhabitable or washed away. Numerous places where flood waters may cover escape routes. Streets and parking lots become rivers of raging water with underpasses submerged. Driving conditions become very dangerous. Numerous road and bridge closures with some weakened or washed out.
* TORNADO
LATEST LOCAL FORECAST:
• Situation is somewhat favorable for tornadoes
THREAT TO LIFE AND PROPERTY THAT INCLUDES TYPICAL FORECAST UNCERTAINTY IN TRACK, SIZE AND INTENSITY: Potential for a few tornadoes
• The tornado threat has remained nearly steady from the previous assessment.
• PLAN: Emergency plans should include the potential for a few tornadoes.
• PREPARE: If your shelter is particularly vulnerable to tornadoes, prepare to relocate to safe shelter before hazardous weather arrives.
• ACT: If a tornado warning is issued, be ready to shelter quickly.
—Jimmy Boegle
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