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Tropical Threats

Hurricanes, Tropical Storms, Tropical Depressions, and Extratropical Cyclones

House with missing a partial missing roof and siding because of a tropical storm

An article based on the Safety Member Certification training module "Storms and Disasters" and the Church Security Guide article "Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters." [1][2][3].

In the Bible

I would hasten my escape from the windy storm and tempest (Psalm 55:8).

“And, behold, there came a great wind from the wilderness, and smote the four corners of the house, and it fell upon the young men, and they are dead; and I only am escaped alone to tell thee” (Job 1:19).

But the Lord sent out a great wind into the sea, and there was a mighty tempest in the sea, so that the ship was like to be broken (Jonah 1:4).

As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation (Proverbs 10:25).

On the Record –

Here are six of the numerous hurricanes and tropical storms to hit the United States.

Hurricane Camille, August 17-19, 1969 - Camille hit the Mississippi coast as a Category 5 hurricane. After significant damage, it was quickly downgraded to a tropical storm (TS), then a tropical depression (TD). The slower winds made many think the threat had diminished, but this actually increased rain and flooding. After moving north to Kentucky, TD Camille took a right turn, heading over the Appalachians then crossing the Blue Ridge. The change in terrain provoked the depression to dump massive amounts of water. Weather scientists calculated that it was the highest possible amount of rain, not seen again until Helene in 2024. This was an apocalyptic disaster on the east side of the Blue Ridge, with homes washed away, over 100 bridges out, and long power outages. At least 150 persons in Virginia were killed, more than half of Camille's 256 fatalities. Scars from landslides can still be seen.[4][5][6].

Hurricane Fran, September 5-6, 1996 - Fran was the first hurricane my wife and I personally experienced. It hit North Carolina and headed northwest across NC and into Virginia. Hurricane force winds reached where we lived near Lynchburg before dropping to a tropical storm. After this, we paid close attention to the tracks of other hurricanes [7].

Hurricane Ivan, September 2-23, 2004 - Hurricane Ivan can be called "The Resurrected Hurricane." After causing devastation in the Caribbean as a Category 4 and Category 5 hurricane, it weakened in the Gulf of America, then made landfall in Alabama as Category 3, covering the coast from Mississippi into Florida.

Quickly weakening to a tropical storm, then a tropical depression, it followed the Appalachians to Maryland, flooding part of Pennsylvania. Then it moved into the Atlantic as an extratropical cyclone remnant. Over the ocean once again, it turned south, picking up strength from warm waters, then turned west, crossed southern Florida as a TD, crossed the Gulf, made landfall near the Louisiana-Texas state line as a TS, and dissipated over Texas. Depending on the news reporters, Ivan was "reborn" or "resurrected" [8]

Hurricane Ike, September 13-14, 2008 - This tropical cyclone was known for its long overland track from Galveston, Texas to Ontario. Hundreds of miles wide, it impacted a large area on the way. When its leading edge reached the Great Lakes, with water still warm from the summer, the extratropical cyclone re-gained hurricane-strength.

Eleven states and a Canadian province were affected. Ohio, on the east side of the storm, had a lot of damage: 75 mph wind in Cincinnati, millions of power outages, 330,000 of them lasting a week. We were back living in Northeast Ohio. The power went off during the Sunday evening service, we had to go around fallen trees and branches on our way home, and our power was off for several days [9][10].

Hurricane Michael, October 10, 2018 - A topical low pressure system off the coast of Central America developed into Hurricane Michael, which was Category 5 when it hit the Florida Panhandle. It all but totally flattened Mexico Beach. Notable exceptions were a motel, which suffered some damage but was able to house some people during search-and-rescue and cleanup, and a new home built to go "above and beyond" hurricane standards.

The hurricane crossed a corner of Alabama and continued on a northeast track across Georgia. It was Category 3 when it crossed into the Peachtree State, dropping to Category 2 then a tropical storm before going into South Carolina. It crossed North Carolina and the eastern tip of Virginia, clipping the southeastern tip of Delaware while going over the Atlantic Ocean, still as TS Michael [11][12][13].

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Helene, September 26-27, 2024 - Helene is still fresh in our memories. Many of us live where local utilities sent crews to Florida and North Carolina to help in cleanup and restoring power and telecommunications.

Reminiscent of Camille, when TD Helene came to the Blue Ridge in North Carolina it dumped so much water so suddenly that the streams could not hold it. The flooding gouged out a lot of land, carried houses away, and killed many, isolating several mountain communities. Two of the affected rivers merge at Ashville. The massive flooding brought the city to a standstill. Even now, there is still much restoration to do and several persons are still missing. Needless to say, local churches were not exempt, especially small ones in the mountain communities. Property damage is in the billions of dollars. The cyclone continued on through Tennessee [14][15][16].

The Long Reach -

Tropical cyclones are large systems; most are hundreds of miles wide. This means that the cyclone touches areas more than a hundred miles from its eye. Also, a cyclone may have a long path after landfall. Starting with low-pressure systems, they draw heat from the tropical waters, gaining force as they move. They can go from a tropical depression to a tropical storm to a major cyclone: called a hurricane in the Atlantic Ocean and Eastern North Pacific Ocean, a typhoon in the South Pacific, and a cyclone in the Indian Ocean. When a hurricane loses force, it is downgraded to tropical storm (TS) then tropical depression (TD), then remnant. After leaving the tropics or subtropics, it is called an extratropical cyclone.

As seen with Ike, a hurricane can have a long overland track, inflicting significant damage far from landfall. Some hurricanes hitting Texas have taken rain to New Mexico, Oklahoma, or Kansas. Some hurricanes travel north over the Atlantic making landfall from Delaware to New England. It is rare, but some Pacific hurricanes have turned east bringing rain to California, southern Nevada, and Arizona. In a recent year, two Pacific hurricanes hit Hawaii. This means that a large part of the United States is not exempt from the impact of a hurricane. Additionally, most hurricanes spawn tornadoes. Therefore, it is unwise for churches in these areas to assume a hurricane cannot touch them.

Preparing for a Tropical Cyclone -

Obviously, as much as we may want to, we cannot prevent a hurricane at any level, so we need to prepare for it. Issues to consider are

Storm safety,

Keeping people in the church safe during a storm begins with knowing the likely and the potential weather threats for the area. Don't neglect to consider those potential threats which are less likely, especially if they are very dangerous, such as major flooding, landslides, hurricanes, tornadoes, etc. Less likely does not mean, "It will never happen here." If it can, perhaps it may.

This consideration is part of a general church safety & security assessment. Related to this is a free download from Sheepdog Church Security, "Broaden Your Readiness Guide." Besides Severe Weather Procedures, it also includes "Fire Evacuation Planning", "Medical Crisis Response", and "Observation and Practice." Click *HERE* to get it [17].

Then we need to know if and when there is a weather threat. Safety Ministry leaders should pay attention to news about developing threats. Regarding hurricanes, this can be systems developing. When the system is closer, we need up-to-date information, including projected track, watches, and warnings. Essential to this and all weather hazards is a weather radio, such as the Midland - WR300, Deluxe NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio on the Sheepdog Church Security Amazon store. It has S.A.M.E. with weather alerts for your local area [18].

For direct hits by hurricanes, evacuation of the area is advised. When the safety director knows this threat, members of the church can be notified and urged to evacuate to a safe area.

If a hurricane is passing far enough away to not be a direct hit, and the church is built sturdy enough, it can serve as a shelter for those in the community whose homes are vulnerable. For this the church needs to be supplied and equipped for a shelter. Many churches have been shelters during and after hurricanes.

Minimizing storm damage,

Unless it is Category 1 or Category 2, most churches are not built to withstand a hurricane. Some might be able to stand after a Category 3. Even with Category 1, buildings can suffer some damage.

Insurance,

Check with the church's insurance provider to see whether its policy covers storm damage. What are the amount and conditions of this coverage? Some areas will have exemptions for hurricanes and require riders to be covered with an additional premium.

Ministering to survivors,

The first way most people think of ministering to tropical cyclone survivors is providing food and shelter and other physical needs. However, living through a devastating storm is traumatic. Take for instance a survivor of TD Helene whose wife was torn away from him and is still missing [16]. The church needs to emotionally and spiritually minister to traumatized people, both its members and others in the community.

Members of the Church Safety Team, already trained in verbal de-escalation, can also be coached in comforting people who have suffered deadly fear, injuries, and loss of loved ones, friends, homes, businesses, etc. Some Safety Team members could also be among the traumatized and need comfort from their team mates.

Cleanup and repairs,

The aftermath of a major storm can range from storm debris on the grounds to severe property damage. At the very least, the grounds should be cleaned up, first removing hazards. We know this has to be done, but it should still be included in the storm management plans.

Repairs are another issue. What's needed depends on the damage. Some of the needed materials may be in short supply locally. How about electricity or fuel for power tools? How about tarps for a damaged roof? Plan for alternative solutions, depending on the local circumstances. Perhaps tabletop scenario drills will sharpen our thinking on how to meet the challenges.

Corporate survival,

What if the church building is totally destroyed? This has happened to other churches. Unless all corporate documents and records were in a hurricane-proof vault (like a bank vault), you may be missing what's needed to operate as a corporation. The chances are that your church does not have the equivalent of a bank vault, and it cannot install one. However, there are some alternatives:

What documents should be safeguarded like this?

Brotherhood Mutual's Big Book of Checklists has a worksheet for Disaster Recovery [19].

Local Considerations -

Localities will differ in how likely they are to be hit by a hurricane and how damaging one may be. Obviously, coastal communities are the most at risk and the most vulnerable to storm surges and high winds. Hurricanes are more likely to make landfall in the United States on the Gulf Coast and on the Atlantic Coast from Florida to North Carolina. Florida is the most likely state for a hurricane landfall.

Farther inland, the greatest risk is flash flooding. Mountainous areas are especially vulnerable.

Tornadoes are a real threat, especially farther out from the eye.

Take local considerations into account when planning your church's tropical threats response.

Training Note -

First, all Church Safety Team members should be trained and certified through the Safety Member Certification program with its eight training modules. The training modules are being updated and upgraded, actually rebuilt, which makes the biennial recertification especially beneficial.

Articles in the Church Security Guide and in Expert Resources cover most of the topics in the certification courses.

Several kinds of natural disasters, including hurricanes and floods, are covered in the training module "Storms and Disasters."

Conclusion -

Plan and prepare for natural disasters, including tropical threats that may affect your congregation.

References -

  1. Kris Moloney, "Storms and Disasters," Safety Member Certification, Sheepdog Church Security, © 2025 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/courses/safety-member-certification-2025].
  2. Kris Moloney, Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2018 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/church-security-guide], and 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?c=church-security-guide].
  3. Kris Moloney, "Preparing Your Church for Natural Disasters," Church Security Guide, Sheepdog Church Security, 2020 [https://sheepdogchurchsecurity.net/severe-weather-preparedness], and June 9, 2023 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/pages/security-articles?p=preparing-your-church-for-natural-disasters].
  4. Morgan Barry, Jason Beaman, and Don Shepherd, "Hurricane Camille - August 17, 1969," Mobile/Pensacola Weather Forecast Office, National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.weather.gov/mob/camille].
  5. Evan Stewart, "'Deadliest natural disaster in Virginia history' | Hurricane Camille hit the Commonwealth 55 years ago," 13 News Now, October 3, 2024 [https://www.13newsnow.com/article/weather/hurricane-center/deadliest-natural-disaster-in-virginia-history-hurricane-camille-hit-the-commonwealth-55-years-ago/291-42a7f0e1-43f0-46c3-8dd1-ae640afb6453].
  6. Contributor: Lisa M. Romano, "Hurricane Camille (August 1969)," Encylopedia Virginia, Last updated: February 8, 2022, posted on web August 15, 2025 [https://encyclopediavirginia.org/entries/hurricane-camille-august-1969/].
  7. Staff, "Hurricane Fran: September 5, 1996," National Weather Service, Wilmington, North Carolina, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.weather.gov/ilm/HurricaneFran].
  8. Staff, "Hurricane Ivan - September 2-26, 2004," National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.wpc.ncep.noaa.gov/tropical/rain/ivan2004.htmll].
  9. Staff, "Hurricane Ike - September 2008," National Weather Service, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.weather.gov/hgx/projects_ike08].
  10. "Effects of Hurricane Ike in inland North America," Wikipedia, [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Effects_of_Hurricane_Ike_in_inland_North_America].
  11. Staff, "Catastrophic Hurricane Michael Strikes Florida Panhandle October 10, 2018," National Weather Service, Tallahassee, FL, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.weather.gov/tae/HurricaneMichael2018].
  12. Doyle Rice, "Hurricane Michael: What you need to know in graphics," USA Today, October 10, 2018, updated October 13, 2018 [https://www.usatoday.com/in-depth/news/2018/10/10/michael-graphics/1590739002/].
  13. Will Carr, Janice McDonald, and Emily Shapiro, "Mexico Beach home survives Hurricane Michael virtually untouched:," ABC News, October 15, 2018 [https://abcnews.go.com/US/mexico-beach-home-survives-hurricane-michael-virtually-untouched/story?id=58505662].
  14. Staff, "Tropical Storm Helene: September 26-27, 2024," National Weather Service, NWS Wilmington, NC, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, no date [https://www.weather.gov/ilm/Helene2024].
  15. Ray Sanchez, "‘The power of water.' How Helene devastated western North Carolina and left communities in ruins," CNN, Updated October 23, 2024 [https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/06/us/how-helene-devastated-western-north-carolina/].
  16. Hayley Vawter, "Hurricane Helene: A look back on the storm and where recovery stands 6 months later," Fox Weather, March 27, 2025 [https://www.foxweather.com/extreme-weather/hurricane-helene-anniversary-6-months-florida-north-carolina].
  17. Kris Moloney, "Broaden Your Readiness Guide," 2024 [https://sheepdog-church-security.thinkific.com/products/digital_downloads/broaden-your-readiness-guide].
  18. "Midland - WR300, Deluxe NOAA Emergency Weather Alert Radio," Recommended Equipment for Safety Ministries, Amazon [https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00009V2YV?linkCode=ssc&tag=onamzsafetyeq-20&creativeASIN=B00009V2YV&asc_item-id=amzn1.ideas.1ERD68BB0JGWR&ref_=aip_sf_list_spv_ofs_mixed_d_asin].
  19. Staff, "Big Book Of Checklists," Brotherhood Mutual Insurance Company, 2021 [https://brotherhoodmutual.com/resources/docs/BigBookOfChecklists_2021_web.pdf].