As has been covered extensively by the news and weather reports in the Mid Atlantic, Hurricane Florence is moving toward the east coast and is expected to make landfall by Friday. Though the storm has been downgraded to a Category 2 hurricane, forecasts are still predicting 6-10 inches of rain in Southwest Virginia and 2-4 inches in West Virginia through Monday. Though there are updated forecasts, weather outcomes could change as the storm makes landfall.

From a safety perspective, coverage in the Roanoke Times recommends preparing for possible power outages, flooding, and transportation disruptions.

For monitoring, make sure your personal safety is your number one priority. We advise against monitoring in heavy rain, wind, and flood conditions, but be prepared to monitor sites soon after the storms pass. If you are able to safely do so, take some “before” images in the next day or so to get a sense of the condition of Erosion and Sediment controls in place prior to the storm.

During and following the storm, if you see any conditions that are an immediate or imminent threat to public health or safety, contact local emergency services directly.

For non-emergency erosion and sediment control monitoring reports, please use our online form, call our hotline at 833-MVWATCH (833-689-2824), or email us at mountainvalleywatch@gmail.com. Please include images via the online form or email as you’re able.

For ongoing updates, keep an eye on your local forecast, reports from the National Weather Service and the National Hurricane Center.