The latest forecast from the National Weather Service has shifted the track of Tropical Storm Marco further east. It is now predicted to make landfall in southeast Louisiana by noon on Monday as a strong, but small tropical storm. This puts it ahead of any potential impacts from Tropical Storm Laura, which is now forecast to hit Wednesday. We are in for a long week and the time to prepare is right now.
We anticipate some heavy wind and rain with both storms and are preparing for possible street flooding. Right now, we plan to move most of our teaching to virtual while electricity remains on, but that may obviously change. (Faculty, we will be in touch with details.) Non-essential personnel should plan to work from home.
We are taking all necessary steps to protect our community and our campus. Please review our hurricane preparedness website as you make plans to ride out this storm. Take time on Sunday to gather your supplies like bottled water and dry goods, be sure you have enough of your prescriptions, and have flashlights and batteries on hand. Watch for email and text communications from the university and be sure to follow all instructions about staying indoors during the storm.
Loyola has weathered many storms in our long history and we are well versed in how to prepare, withstand and recover from them. 2020 has added its own special touch with two storms back to back, but we are more resilient than ever.