Hurricane season officially begins on June 1st, but you don’t want to wait until hurricane season is underway to prepare. Even areas that are further inland, like the Tennessee Valley, can be impacted by tropical weather. The National Weather Service is predicting 2019 to have 75% of the average season. Hopefully this is a good thing, since 2018 had 120% of an average season. Here is an example of how hurricane winds can affect inland areas.

Hurricane Opal (1995): Opal made landfall as a Category 4 hurricane near Pensacola, before weakening into a tropical depression over Tennessee. The storm was still producing winds of 50 mph as it moved through the Tennessee Valley.

The National Weather Service has given instructions on Hurricane Preparedness.

Here is a list of steps you need to take to be prepared.

• You need to have a safety kit ready. It’s recommended that you keep enough food and water for each person in the family to last 3 days.
• Take some time to review your insurance policy. Often, we realize too late that some weather-related damages are not covered. In fact, standard homeowner’s insurance doesn’t cover flooding. Remember to review your policies for your home and any vehicles or boats.
• Take note of anything that could be affected by flooding, like items in your garage or basement. In anticipation of high winds, you should keep trees well-trimmed and secure things like patio furniture before storms.
• Helping your neighbors prepare and plan to check on each other in the case of an emergency is a great idea.
• Finally, make sure you write down your plan and any important details you might need in an emergency. Go over your plan with your family to make sure everyone understands what to do. Having a written plan can save you precious time in the event of severe weather, so you can act quickly and confidently.

The only Alabama counties in a hurricane evacuation zone are Mobile and Baldwin.

We at Action Heating and Air Conditioning hope that this information was helping in preparing for the 2017 Hurricane Season. Remember for all your heating and cooling needs, we at Action Heating and Air Conditioning have been helping folks like you since 1997. Please visit our website at www.callaction.net to meet our team of professionals, review all our services, and to find some money saving discounts and coupons that can help you save money on air conditioning repairs