NEW ORLEANS — The Coast Guard is continuing to secure its area of responsibility and adjust port conditions along the Gulf Coast as Tropical Storm Nestor moves northeast, Friday.
The public should be aware that seas in the Panama City, Florida, area may reach 20 feet at the height of the storm, and for safety reasons, emergency response personnel may be unable to respond for extended periods of time in severe weather.
The Coast Guard has updated some ports in the Coast Guard Sector Mobile area to Port Condition YANKEE.
Port Condition YANKEE is set when hurricane-force winds are possible within 24 hours. During Port Condition YANKEE, all affected ports are closed to inbound vessel traffic greater than 500 gross tons. All vessels greater than 500 gross tons without permission to remain in port should have departed or be prepared to depart prior to the setting of Port Condition ZULU.
Port conditions change based on weather forecasts, and current port conditions can be viewed on the following Coast Guard homeport webpages:
- Coast Guard Sector Mobile, Alabama: https://homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/mobile
- Coast Guard Sector New Orleans: https://homeport.uscg.mil/port-directory/new-orleans
The Coast Guard is reminding the public of these important safety messages:
Stay off the water. Hurricanes and tropical storms can be deadly and our ability to conduct rescues can be diminished or non-existent at the height of a storm. Be prepared, stay informed and heed storm warnings.
Be prepared. Owners of large boats are urged to move their vessels to inland marinas where they will be less vulnerable to breaking free of their moorings or sustaining damage. Mooring lines should be doubled in case of high winds. Boats that can be trailered should be pulled from the water and stored in a place that is not prone to flooding. Those who are leaving their boats in the water are reminded to remove EPIRBs and to secure life rings, life jackets, and small boats. These items, if not properly secured, can break free and require valuable search and rescue resources to be diverted to ensure people are not in distress.
Stay informed. The public should monitor the progress and strength of the storm through local television, radio, and the Internet. Boaters can monitor its progress on VHF radio channel 16. Information can also be obtained on small craft advisories and warnings on VHF radio channel 16.
