—Jon Jones, GeoDecisions
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Hurricane paths can be predicted with reasonable accuracy to allow time for affected populations to evacuate. However, changing conditions during the approach can change evacuation routes or make evacuations risky. In this talk, I describe a tool I developed to provide alternate evacuation routes immediately before a storm strikes. The tool combines path and condition data to identify barrier points on a road network that would impede evacuation at a given time. Condition data for future time intervals is used to apply exact predicted condition values to each segment of the route at the time it is being traversed. Finally, updated predicted paths and conditions are created by the tool at regular intervals and will change and eliminate available route options as the hurricane nears landfall. This tool will provide assistance in planning both an evacuation route and a time of departure.