Katy is about sixty miles inland...that being said Hurricanes can happen. We are prepared to board up the windows and go if one is on its way. This is a very rare occurrence here however.

Sat May 10 2008, 14:11

I have lived in Katy for 10+ years. I am always alert to weather, however, the "hurricanes" will not get to Katy. We are quite far from the actual coast and don't have a bay that draws storms up from the Gulf. If a hurricane were to hit the Texas coastline and travel up to Katy, we would receive a tropical storm and be on the maps as the trail of the hurricane, but not have the strongest hurricane force winds and effects of an actual hurricane. If you were moving to the coast you would want to take the precautions you mention. I do suggest you obtain flood insurance no matter where in Katy you live. The tropical storm rains can cause problems at times. Even the large subdivisions like Cinco Ranch urge their homeowners to obtain flood insurance. I have not needed it in Katy, but I suggest being prepared anyway. You will also want to be careful in your homeowners insurance selection so that you get the best coverage available for wind, wind-driven rain, hail and the like, if any is currently available. In the unlikely event we receive a major tropical storm you would want to be prepared. The other precautions would be rations of water, batteries, etc., like in any storm area. Katy is calm compared to other parts of Texas!

Tue May 6 2008, 07:59

It is a common question from people moving to Texas, asking about tornados, hurricanes. I ask you the same question since you are in California, what do you do about earthquakes and wild fires?

I've lived in the Dallas area for about 13 years now and I haven't seen a single tornado, lots of news coverage when we have bad thunderstoms. A couple of local channels cover the weather in Katy as well and we never see anything out of the ordinary.

As Lisa said, you are in for a nice surprise... just come on down ya'll

Fri May 2 2008, 17:33

Great answer, LIsa. I currently live in Katy (10 years and counting) and we have been very fortunate that the worst we have experienced in the last 10 years was driving rain and a little brisk breeze. Having spent several years of my youth on the MIssissippi gulf coast and New Orleans, I can tell you that Katy does not have the same threat from storms as these areas. That said, you should always have extra water, food and batteries on hand. You will see several of your neighbors hitting the hardware store and covering doors and windows with plywood. Who can blame them? Most of these folks are from Louisiana and have experienced firsthand what a real storm can do. Better safe than sorry, right? Our building code requires that homes in our area be built to withstand a catagory 3 storm so you should be just fine.
Good luck and welcome to Katy!

Fri May 2 2008, 17:16

Hi! You are in for a very nice surprise, I used to live about 20 minutes from Katy and loved it. Let me call your fears, you don't need to be concerned about battening down the hatches, Katy doesn't get that kind of damage from hurricanes. Actually, usually if the Texas coastline has a hurricane, it is the actual coastal land that might suffer damage of any magnitude, but Katy is far enough inland to keep you from severe damage. You might experience heavy rain, even some street flooding, maybe some wind but nothing more than light possible repair and that is usually to trees, branches mostly... Here's a suggestion, read about Katy on the Chamber of Commerce site and you'll feel better. May I suggest you stop y the Mason Jar right on 290 and have some chicken fried steak and a piece of Jack Daniels pecan pie and begin your journey in Katy, you'll love it! As a reminder, always have a few gallons of water, candles and some batteries in storage. If you need any referrals for assistance, I have a girlfriend in Katy that would be happy to help you, just let me know and I'll send you her info. Good Luck!

Fri May 2 2008, 17:04

WELCOME TO TEXAS

YES I have friends in New Orleans, Florida, Mississippi, Alabama, that is just a staple in storage besides water, canned goods, flashlight, radio, blankets, pillows, rubber boots, tiolet paper, tools, nails and hammer include your emergency kit... they have an emergency closet these items are never touched or used unless there is a warning they run direct to the area with an entire inventory

Keep in mind here in Texas when we submit offers on real estate you need to be pre-approved prior to working with a realtor, if I can assist in loan notify my office.

Fri May 2 2008, 16:50