Weather Tidbits: The Waffle House Index

We’ll be discussing the Waffle House index in this edition of Weather Tidbits. This is an informal metric to determine the effect of a storm, usually a hurricane. The Waffle House has a reputation for staying open during extreme weather events like hurricanes. So, when a waffle house has to close due to the weather, it is a sign that the upcoming weather will be very dangerous, and an evacuation is usually in order. That’s how serious it is. The index is used by the Federal Emergency Management Agency, also known as FEMA. On the index, green means the restaurant is open with full power and a full menu. Yellow means the restaurant is open, but has a limited menu with a low food supply. Red means the restaurant is completely closed.