National Weather Service officials have recognized Hyde County as a StormReady® and TsunamiReady® county. The StormReady and TsunamiReady programs help community leaders and residents better prepare for hazardous weather, flooding, and tsunami impacts. StormReady and TsunamiReady counties have made a strong commitment to implement the infrastructure and systems needed to save lives and protect property when severe weather strikes.

John Cole, Warning Coordination Meteorologist at the National Weather Service forecast office in Newport N.C., will present city officials with a certificate and special StormReady® and TsunamiReady® signs during a ceremony, open to press, at the Board of Commissioners Meeting, starting at 6 pm, held in the Multi-Use Room of the Hyde County Government Center located at 30 Oyster Creek Road, Swan Quarter, NC 27885 on Monday, May 2.

“Tornadoes can occur in eastern North Carolina anytime of the year. Since 1995, North Carolina has averaged 28 tornadoes per year with an average of 2 fatalities. Tsunamis are very rare along the U.S. East Coast, but being prepared to move people out of harms-way, should one occur, could save countless lives “, said Cole.

“The National Weather Service motto ‘When Seconds Count, StormReady and TsunamiReady Counties are Prepared’ is something we take very seriously here in Hyde County. Hyde County is extremely proud to be recognized as a StormReady and Tsunamiready county. This is just another example of our commitment to excellence. I am honored and proud of this StormReady and TsunamiReady recognition and commend all of our public safety agencies in Hyde County for their dedicated efforts,” said Justin Gibbs, Director, Hyde County Emergency Services.

The nationwide community preparedness program, founded in 1999, is a grassroots approach to preparing for natural hazards. Today, more than 2,450 U.S. communities are better prepared for severe weather through the StormReady and TsunamiReady programs.

To be recognized as StormReady and TsunamiReady, a county must maintain a 24-hour warning point and emergency operations center; have more than one way to receive National Weather Service warnings and to alert the public; be able to monitor local weather and flood conditions; conduct community preparedness programs; and ensure hazardous weather and flooding are addressed in formal emergency management plans, which include training SKYWARN® weather spotters and holding emergency exercises.

The StormReady program is part of the National Weather Service's working partnership with the International Association of Emergency Managers and the National Emergency Management Association. The National Weather Service (NWS) and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program (NTHMP–a partnership led by NOAA includes the Federal Emergency Management Agency, the U.S. Geological Survey and 28 U.S. states and territories) established the TsunamiReady program to promote community tsunami preparedness. Modeled on the NWS's successful StormReady program, TsunamiReady helps communities minimize the risk posed by tsunamis through better risk assessment, planning, education and warning communications. The StormReady and TsunamiReady recognition is valid for three years and can be renewed. 

The National Weather Service’s Newport/Morehead Forecast Office, located in Newport, NC, is the primary source of weather data, forecasts and warnings for 15 counties in eastern, NC , including a large marine area with the coastal waters extending from Currituck Beach Light to Surf City and the Pamlico and Albemarle Sounds. Join us on Facebook and Twitter. Working with partners, the National Weather Service is building a Weather-Ready Nation to support community resilience in the face of increasing vulnerability to extreme weather.