Everyone in the Hampton Roads area breathes a sigh of relief on December each year. That is the day after the official end of our hurricane season and, hopefully, the area has made it through another season unscathed! Now it is only a few months until the season begins. It might be a good idea to review the City’s Severe Weather Plan to be prepared for whatever weather comes our way.

Hurricanes are not the only weather events that can occur in this area.  Hurricanes and severe thunderstorms are uniquely different events but they can both produce damage from high winds and flooding.  Nor’Easters, are similar to hurricanes, but they can also have elements of winter weather.  The best way to be prepared for any weather event is to have a plan in place before the weather event occurs. 

The City of Newport News already has a comprehensive Emergency Operations Plan.  In November, City Council approved an updated annex to the plan known as the Severe Weather Plan. The purpose is to provide guidelines for managing severe weather events and includes more detailed information, decision-making tools and research information to support the decisions that are made. 

Although the plan is geared for the City’s response to an emergency, it does include special events weather criteria that can affect any permitted event taking place in the city.  Police, Fire and/or the Parks Department representatives retain ultimate authority to halt any permitted events when, in their opinion, conditions meet the criteria and pose an imminent threat to the health, safety and well-being of those present at the event. 

To view the approved Severe Weather Plan or the overall Emergency Operations Plan, please visit the Newport News Office of Emergency Management website.