Full Notification

The City of Portsmouth, through the Office of Emergency Management, is closely monitoring Tropical Storm Arthur as it travels up the East Coast. This first tropical weather system of the season is currently off the coast of Florida and is moving north/northeast. The National Weather Service is forecasting that Tropical Storm Arthur could become a Category 1 hurricane on Thursday, July 3rd. Potential affects to Hampton Roads include gusty winds, localized heavy rain of 1-2 inches, minor coastal flooding and dangerous rip currents.

At this time, we expect Arthur to affect Portsmouth between 4 a.m. and 2 p.m. Friday, July 4th. This forecast will change if the storm varies from its current projected path.
The City of Portsmouth recommends that residents take these steps to prepare in advance of severe weather:
• Discuss your family’s plans for disaster and visit www.readyvirginia.gov for checklists
• Have an emergency supply kit of food, medications, water, first-aid kit, battery-powered radio, flashlights, batteries, sleeping bags, blankets, etc.
• Bring in/secure lawn furniture or outdoor items
• Identify an out-of-state relative or friend to serve as a family contact. Make sure everyone in the family knows the name, address and phone number of the family contact.
• Make provisions for pets in case of evacuation, as they may not be allowed in public shelters.
• Listen to local radio and television stations including PCTV--on Cox Channel 48 and Verizon Fios Channel 39-- for the most up-to-date information. Also, storm-related updates will be posted to www.portsmouthva.gov.
It is important for our residents, businesses, and visitors to pay close attention to the tropical storm, find out if they are at risk for storm surge, and review their evacuation, shelter, and pet plans. A series of videos is available online to explain storm surge and its danger and how to prepare for a hurricane at http://www.youtube.com/vaemergency. A list of needed emergency supplies and maps of storm surge areas and evacuation routes can be found at www.vaemergency.gov or on the free Ready Virginia app for iPhone and Android mobile devices.