Wandering Wandering WWanda anda WWonders About onders About

Stormy Stormy WWeather eather (With Guest “Cajun Flat (With Guest “Cajun Flat

Stanley”)Stanley”)

Wandering Wandering Wanda Wanda

wanted to wanted to understand understand hurricanes.hurricanes.

So she So she traveled to a traveled to a

coastal coastal parish in parish in Louisiana Louisiana

after after Hurricane Hurricane Lili Lili

struck in struck in 2002.2002.

First Wanda located information on First Wanda located information on Hurricane Hurricane Lili. She found out that Lili Lili. She found out that Lili hit the coast of south Louisiana on hit the coast of south Louisiana on

October 3, 2002. So, Wanda traveled to October 3, 2002. So, Wanda traveled to Vermilion Parish to get some answers. Vermilion Parish to get some answers.

She met “Cajun Flat Stanley” who She met “Cajun Flat Stanley” who helped her find answers.helped her find answers.

Cajun Flat Cajun Flat Stanley was Stanley was able to find a able to find a

map that map that showed showed

HurricaneHurricane Lili’s path.Lili’s path.

Wandering Wanda wanted to Wandering Wanda wanted to

know more facts about know more facts about hurricanes.hurricanes. Cajun Stanley Cajun Stanley

showed her research and said showed her research and said that a that a hurricanehurricane is a very is a very

destructive and dangerous destructive and dangerous stormstorm. It forms in stages.. It forms in stages.

Wanda then learned that when the Wanda then learned that when the winds in this type of winds in this type of stormstorm range from range from

35 to 54 miles an hour, it is called a 35 to 54 miles an hour, it is called a tropical depression.tropical depression. When the winds When the winds

are from 55 to 74 miles an hour then it are from 55 to 74 miles an hour then it is called a is called a tropical storm.tropical storm. When it When it

reaches 75 miles an hour, it is called a reaches 75 miles an hour, it is called a hurricanehurricane..

Cajun Stanley explained Cajun Stanley explained

that that hurricaneshurricanes are small and are small and others quite large. But others quite large. But

whatever the case, whatever the case, hurricaneshurricanes are the mightiest of all are the mightiest of all

stormsstorms. In the center of a . In the center of a hurricane hurricane is an is an eyeeye..

Wanda discovered that before Wanda discovered that before HurricaneHurricane

Lili hit, everybody had to prepare for her Lili hit, everybody had to prepare for her arrival. The newspapers, radio and arrival. The newspapers, radio and

television stations television stations all had important messages for the people all had important messages for the people

in Vermilion Parish.in Vermilion Parish.

Cajun Stanley Cajun Stanley stressed that a key stressed that a key factor about factor about hurricanes is the hurricanes is the importance of importance of hurricane safety.hurricane safety. The people were The people were encouraged to listen encouraged to listen to the to the warnings.warnings. Many Louisiana Many Louisiana residents evacuated residents evacuated to be safe. to be safe.

Cajun Stanley explained to Wanda Cajun Stanley explained to Wanda that the word that the word “evacuate”“evacuate” means to means to pack your valuable things and take it pack your valuable things and take it with you. You need to head away from with you. You need to head away from the storm. When people leave, they the storm. When people leave, they don’t know if they are returning to a don’t know if they are returning to a destroyed home or not.destroyed home or not.

When Wanda saw the image ofWhen Wanda saw the image of Hurricane Hurricane Lili hitting the state of Louisiana, she began Lili hitting the state of Louisiana, she began to understand how large a to understand how large a hurricanehurricane was. was. She knows now that a She knows now that a hurricanehurricane is a huge is a huge and and dangerous storm.dangerous storm. When she saw this When she saw this

radar imageradar image, she was amazed with the size , she was amazed with the size of this of this stormstorm..

Wanda also learned something unusual Wanda also learned something unusual happened whenhappened when Hurricane LiliHurricane Lili hit Vermilion hit Vermilion Parish. The night before she hit the coast,Parish. The night before she hit the coast, Hurricane LiliHurricane Lili was labeled awas labeled a category fourcategory four

hurricanehurricane. Everyone was terrified because she . Everyone was terrified because she was considered a verywas considered a very strong and dangerous strong and dangerous stormstorm. But something strange occurred that . But something strange occurred that

night.night.

What What Wanda Wanda

found out found out was that was that Hurricane Hurricane

LiliLili had had gotten gotten weaker weaker

before she before she hit the hit the

Louisiana Louisiana coast. The coast. The

arrow arrow shows shows

where she where she weakened.weakened.

It was very It was very unusual that unusual that

Hurricane Hurricane LiliLili

weakened weakened over water. over water.

Usually Usually hurricanes hurricanes

gain gain strength strength

instead of instead of losing losing

strength strength when they when they

are on are on water.water.

This is a picture of This is a picture of Hurricane Lili on October Hurricane Lili on October

22ndnd. .

So, So, HurricaneHurricane

Lili losing Lili losing strength before strength before

she hit land she hit land was very, very was very, very unusual. unusual.

Even the Even the meteorologists meteorologists were surprised were surprised

that this that this happened.happened.

During her During her research, Wanda research, Wanda was shocked to was shocked to

discover that discover that although although Hurricane Hurricane Lili had weakened, Lili had weakened, her her windswinds were still were still

clocked at 120 clocked at 120 miles an hour. miles an hour.

Wanda wonders, if Wanda wonders, if this hurricane was this hurricane was

a category two, a category two, what would what would

category four category four hurricane windshurricane winds have been like?have been like?

When When Lili’s Lili’s

stormstorm left left LouisianaLouisiana

, there , there was a lot was a lot

of of damage. damage.

Trees Trees were were

knocked knocked down and down and

houses houses destroyeddestroyed

..

TwistersTwisters and strong and strong windswinds left left

many many telephone telephone lines lying lines lying across the across the

roads. roads. Many Many

Vermilion Vermilion Parish Parish

residents residents stayed stayed without without

electricity electricity for a for a week.week.

Many Many homes homes were were

destroyed destroyed by the by the

destructive destructive path of path of falling falling trees trees

caused by caused by dangerous dangerous windswinds and and tornadoes.tornadoes.

A couple of schools were A couple of schools were badly damaged by the badly damaged by the

tornadoes, windtornadoes, wind and and rain rain too too from Hurricane Lili.from Hurricane Lili. Vermilion Vermilion Parish Schools were closed for Parish Schools were closed for

over a week.over a week.

Thankfully though, no lives Thankfully though, no lives were lost during were lost during Hurricane Hurricane

Lili’s visit. Most people Lili’s visit. Most people survived with only minor survived with only minor house or roof damage.house or roof damage.

Now that Cajun Stanley helped Now that Cajun Stanley helped Wandering Wanda has learn more Wandering Wanda has learn more about about hurricanes, floods and tidal hurricanes, floods and tidal

surges, surges, Wanda said that she hopes Wanda said that she hopes that she will never have to that she will never have to

experience any of these diasters.experience any of these diasters.