Officials say new maps, improved forecasting could improve evacuation decisions this year - al.com

Officials say new maps, improved forecasting could improve evacuation decisions this year - al.com: "Emergency management officials in Alabama and Mississippi said they're hoping that improved forecasting and updated flood maps will lead to better decisions as they contemplate evacuation orders this hurricane season.

The National Hurricane Center's decisions to issue separate forecasts for wind and storm surge as well as better data describing vulnerability should help evacuation planners be more precise about who they want to leave town, emergency management official said.

Despite the advances — or the grumbling of residents, the disappointment of tourists, the losses for businesses — the officials who decide when to tell people to head north said they'll always err on the side of caution."