From Thursday, August 8 to Friday, August 9, 2024, remnants of Tropical Storm Debby are anticipated in the Washington, D.C., Area. The National Weather Service has forecast excessive rainfall along the Mid-Atlantic into the Northeast with excessive heat concerns. For additional information, please visit the National Weather Service website.
This event may impact GW campuses. Tropical Storm Debby is expected to bring heavy rainfall of about 1-4 inches and carries a low to medium risk for tornadoes. There is a possibility for widespread tree and powerline damage, isolated structural damage, potential for power outages, and blocked or flooded roadways.
We encourage you to take the following precautionary and preparedness actions:
- Before venturing out, check the forecast from a reliable source such as weather.gov. Driving could become dangerous due to downed trees, high winds, and heavy rain.
- Have a method to receive weather alerts and warnings.
- When you hear thunder, seek shelter indoors in a sturdy building or structure.
- While sheltering indoors, go to an interior room on the lowest floor of the building and stay away from windows and doors.
- Prepare for power outages by gathering flashlights and spare batteries.
- Stay away from downed power lines.
- Never drive through standing water or flooded roadways. You risk your life and the lives of first responders. “Turn Around Don’t Drown” saves lives.
GW’s Office of Emergency Management is actively monitoring the weather forecast for GW’s campuses and will send email and/or text alerts to the entire GW community if necessary. The latest safety and security information will be posted here on Campus Advisories.
For additional safety and security resources, visit the Safety website or download the GW Guardian app. Additional emergency management information from the District of Columbia is also available online.
All GW community members are automatically signed up to receive GW emergency email alerts. You can manage your GW Alert account to also receive GW text alerts on your mobile device. In addition to adding your mobile number, you can add up to three email addresses and phone numbers so that friends or family may also receive GW emergency alerts. Visit GW Alert FAQ for instructions on how to manage your account. In addition, for those who use mobile apps, the GW Guardian App will push GW emergency alerts directly to the app, as well as other safety functions.