For some residents of storm-prone Southeastern states, the best indicator of a hurricane's severity can be found at the local Waffle House.
- Golden hashbrowns, gravy-smothered biscuits and crispy waffles with a hearty helping of maple syrup are among the classic Southern comfort foods. But whenIf a Waffle House stays open in town, even in a limited capacity, neighbors are reassured that the coming storm is unlikely to cause devastation. A closed location of the dependable diner chain has come to indicate impending disaster. The metric is known as the Waffle House Index.
A map of the chain’s over 1,900 locations, concentrated in the Southeast and mid-Atlantic, helps residents of storm-prone states assess whether they’re likely to lose power, experience severe flooding or endure other extreme conditions that might cause a resilient restaurant to close its doors. For some, it’s a telltale sign of whether they need to evacuate.
Green means the location is serving a full menu, indicating minimal damage in the surrounding area. The lights are on and the syrup is flowing.
Fema Hurricane Storm Severity Hurricane Milton Hurricane Helene
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