According to forecasters from Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project, the United States probably won’t see much reprieve from last year’s disastrous hurricane season. Although Hurricane Season did not officially start until June 1st, we have already witnessed the first named storm of the year, Tropical Storm Arlene. This storm is just the one of the 14 predicted named storms for this season. Of these 14, forecasters are calling for seven to become hurricanes, with three of them developing into major storms that could heavily impact the US. A major hurricane is defined as one that reaches Category 3 or above.
Here are a few preparedness tips from the Department of Homeland Security:
- Know where to go. If you are ordered to evacuate, know the local hurricane evacuation route(s) to take and have a plan for where you can stay. Contact your local emergency management agency for more information.
- Put together a go-bag: disaster supply kit, including a flashlight, batteries, cash, first aid supplies, medications, and copies of your critical information if you need to evacuate
- If you are not in an area that is advised to evacuate and you decide to stay in your home, plan for adequate supplies in case you lose power and water for several days and you are not able to leave due to flooding or blocked roads.
- Make a family emergency communication plan.
- Many communities have text or email alerting systems for emergency notifications. To find out what alerts are available in your area, search the Internet with your town, city, or county name and the word “alerts.”
Visit the following helpful sites for more information on the 2018 Hurricane Season and Hurricane Preparedness:
NOAA – National Hurricane Center
Department of Homeland Security – READY
The Weather Channel – Hurricane Center