Hampton Continues to Prepare for Hurricane Earl
Although Hurricane Earl was downgraded from Category 4 to Category 3 this morning, the City of Hampton remains in an increased state of readiness. The hurricane continues to move northwest; however, it is still expected to turn and move away from Virginia’s coast Friday morning.
Residents of Hampton may experience tropical force winds Thursday night through Friday morning and a high tide Friday morning of one to two feet above normal, which could result in minor to moderate flooding. Rain fall is expected to be 1/10 of an inch or less. A significant shift in the hurricane’s forecast track to the west, however, could bring severe weather conditions to the area. Therefore, it is important for residents to closely monitor the storm and have a family emergency plan in place.
Governor Bob McDonnell declared a state of emergency at 10 a.m. A state of emergency authorizes state agencies to take precautionary action to prepare for any potential impacts in eastern Virginia from Hurricane Earl. A state of emergency must be declared under state law so that additional resources are available and positioned for use if necessary.
The City of Hampton continues to actively monitor the storm and evaluate emergency response plans. City staff members will continue to participate in conference calls with the Virginia Department of Emergency Management throughout the week and provide updates to the public.
There are currently no plans for mandatory evacuation of the Hampton Roads area or lane reversal on Interstate 64.
Hampton residents are reminded to listen to local instructions regarding evacuation orders, shelter openings, where to find assistance, and weather warnings and watches. Hampton residents can visit www.hampton.gov, call 311 (727-8311 from outside Hampton or from a cell phone), sign up for email updates at www.hampton.gov/eNews, or visit www.facebook.com/HamptonVA for updates.
For further information on preparing a family emergency plan or assembling a supplies kit, visit www.hampton.gov/eoc or www.readyvirginia.gov.
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