El Niño brings uncertain fall weather: Post safety experts say stay ready

FORT KNOX, Ky. — A possibility of more heat resulting from El Niño and either more or less precipitation this fall season, depending on the agency making the predictions.

Whether the state lives up to any predictions, Fort Knox Safety specialist Brian Wood says installation residents and personnel should always be prepared for changing weather conditions.

“Kentucky weather is pretty much impossible to predict, even from day to day,” said Wood. “So, all our holistic emergency plans have to evolve and come into play depending on what weather we get.”

The Kentucky Emergency Preparedness Guide highlights some of the threats that Kentuckians should be prepared for in the fall: tornadoes, severe thunderstorms, flooding and high winds—

Yes, said Wood. Even tornadoes.

“Believe it or not, with warmer weather there’s still a potential for us to have tornadic activity,” Wood said, “which can pose a double threat with wind and rain damage.”

Fort Knox and the surrounding areas have experienced a recent increase in significant flooding. Wood, however, warned that flood damage poses a year-round threat.

“We’ve had some homes and facilities that were flooded in the past couple of months,” said Wood. “You need to be especially prepared if you live in a flood-prone area, but we all should take precautions in case of flash flooding.”

Having a well-maintained and functional vehicle is key when traveling in flood conditions. Having good common sense is too, said Wood.

“Never cross a flooded area, regardless of how large your vehicle is,” said Wood. “Assume that it’s impossible to cross, You don’t want to get into a situation where your vehicle stalls in the middle of a flooded area.”

In homes, now is the time for residents to check their sump pumps, said Wood, and ensure soil and sod slope away from the home’s exterior foundation on all sides. Check all drains as well for clogs.

“Make sure all the fallen leaves that we get during the fall haven't covered the drains,” said Wood, “and blocked water from going down the drains that are there to get water away from the buildings.”

Another big concern unique to the fall season is the mating and forage habits of deer. Wood said slowing down and staying highly alert is critically important when traveling down roads, especially along heavily forested areas.

“Deer strikes are always on the rise in the fall,” said Wood. “We have to be cognizant of deer patterns and traffic while driving down the roadways.”

The growing darkness necessitates adjusting driving speeds.

“Driving in the fall and winter is different from driving in the spring and summer. More and more you’re going to be driving in hours of darkness, and there are different hazards on the roadways – from rain, ice and snow to deer running out in front of you,” said Wood:

“Drive for the road conditions, not for the speed limit.”

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