ODU professors, researchers study mass evacuations during a pandemic VDEM and last updated 2021-01-21 19:47:50-05 HAMPTON ROADS, Va. - It's hard to even imagine that the start of hurricane season is just four months away, and it's likely it will be the second hurricane season happening inside of a pandemic. "While we may not be thinking about upcoming hurricane season at this point, be aware the planners are already planning for the next season," said Jennifer Whytlaw, an assistant professor at Old Dominion University. Whytlaw and Nicole Hutton, another assistant professor, also spent the past few months thinking about how COVID-19 will impact hurricane evacuation and planning.