August 28, 2021
10:30 a.m.
Dear Tulane Community:
The projected track and local impact of Hurricane Ida, which we shared in last night’s message, remains unchanged. Our weather partners at AccuWeather and the National Hurricane Center are in agreement that Ida will make landfall Sunday as a Category 4 storm, near Morgan City, approximately 80 miles west of New Orleans. This means the storm’s highest winds and rainfall will remain away from our area. As a result, New Orleans is expected to experience sustained tropical storm winds of 50-55 mph with gusts up to 70-75 mph and heavy rainfall of 6 to 8 inches beginning Sunday afternoon into Monday morning. Ida’s impact could also result in extended power outages, as well as downed trees and limbs.
The city of New Orleans has not ordered a mandatory evacuation for those living within its levee system. Tulane’s uptown and downtown campuses are both within the levee system. Following our protocols for tropical storm conditions, Tulane has enacted its shelter-in-place plan. However, everyone should make their own decision – without fear of academic or employment repercussions – regarding whether they should leave town for the duration of the storm. For students wishing to leave the city, Tulane is providing free hourly shuttle service to the airport until 6 p.m. today. For more information on shuttle service, click here. Individuals flying out should check with their airline regarding the scheduling of flights, as some flights are being delayed.
The Commons and the LBC food court will remain open today (Saturday). On Sunday the Commons and the LBC food court will be opened from 9 a.m. to noon weather permitting. Click here for the most up-to-date hours. The Reily Student Recreation Center will close at noon today as will the COVID-19 testing centers. Food distribution for residential students will take place at the LBC from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. today (Saturday.) Residential students will receive email notifications for a scheduled time to pick up their allotted three days worth of food. Bottled water will be available at the area desks of residence halls.
We continue securing and preparing our community members and our facilities for Ida. This includes ensuring back-up emergency power to residence halls and other essential university buildings. Off-campus students are urged to continue their personal hurricane preparations, including securing batteries, water and non-perishable food to last several days. For more information on personal storm preparations, please visit emergencyprep.tulane.edu/hurricanes.
We are looking forward to visiting with students throughout campus today as we all prepare to weather the storm together. From the resilience and cooperative spirit of our students to the extraordinary dedication and efficiency of the many employees committed to ensuring the health and safety of our community, it is at challenging moments like this that we see the true compassion and commitment that makes Tulane such a special place.
Michael A. Fitts, President
Robin Forman, Senior Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost
Patrick Norton, Senior Vice President and Chief Operating Officer
