In a press conference Thursday morning Mayor LaToya Cantrell expressed “great concern” over the threat of tornadoes associated with Hurricane Delta.
While Mayor Cantrell and other city officials did note that New Orleans is not in Delta’s direct path, National Weather Service Meteorologist Lauren Nash explained why New Orleans is positioned to potentially see tornadoes.
“Because we are in the front right quadrant of the hurricane, tornadoes are going to be a threat here locally,” Nash said, adding that the twisters were likely to be small, form rapidly and only remain on the ground for a few minutes.
She did recommend that residents devise a plan to get to the ground floors of their homes should a tornado form.
In preparation of potential tornadoes, the Orleans Parish Communications District, which handles 911 and 311 calls, has increased staffing, said executive director Tyrell Morris, explaining that even a “single instance of a tornado, just for a few seconds could overwhelm 911 systems.”
Despite the tornado warning, New Orleans officials attempted to convey that the city is prepared for Hurricane Delta
“We don’t ever want to be flat-footed,” said Colin Arnold, Director of the Office of Homeland Security and Emergency Preparedness. “It’s very important to have the ability to adapt.”
