Each year, hurricane season lasts from June 1st to November 30th. Dangers from these storms include high winds, heavy rain, tornadoes, flooding, and power outages. Depending on a storm’s severity, the City of New Orleans might issue a mandatory evacuation order. If the City issues a mandatory evacuation, all residents and visitors must leave. If an evacuation is not ordered, it’s up to you to decide to evacuate or shelter in place.
Tropical weather begins with a low-pressure area of circulating winds over water. A system can develop into a:
- Tropical depression: winds of 38 miles per hour (mph) or less
- Tropical storm: winds between 39 and 73 mph
- Hurricane: winds of 74 mph or more. Hurricanes are given a category—1 through 5—based on wind speed. The higher the winds, the higher the category