HAMPTON ROADS, Va. – With a cold front moving in Monday night, The First Warning Weather Team is forecasting a chance of severe storms with potentially damaging wind gusts.
This means, many around the area should consider taking down or securing Halloween decorations, in addition to the usual outdoor items that could become a hazard.
“The next several days are going to be windy,” warned meteorologist Myles Henderson. “So, through most of Tuesday and most of Wednesday, we’re going to see winds northwest 10-20 gusts to near 30.”
The Virginia Zoo currently has some Halloween inflatables on display which are set on timers to deflate at night. Meanwhile, the Zoo is preparing for its inaugural ZooLumination which features 29 giant inflatables – 28 animals and one zookeeper. Director of Communications, Ashley Grove Mars, says the decorations are made from a company in Minnesota and the Virginia Zoo got the idea from the Minnesota Zoo.
“So, we knew even if we did get a Nor’easter here, we could deflate them or we knew they would be able to withstand some different types of weather that we might see here in Hampton Roads,” explained Grove Mars.”
While during the week, it can get hectic, Myles Henderson advises taking a few moments to secure anything that could become a projectile.
“With the inflatables, one of the suggestions would be just don’t inflate it tonight, that will help keep it in place, and make sure it’s tied down,” Henderson added. “A lot of people just throw them in the yard and hope for the best, but most of those come with ropes and stakes, so take the time to either bring it in or at least make sure it’s secure so your decorations don’t become your neighbors’ decorations.”
