Another hurricane season starts today. The season lasts from June 1 thru November 30 each year. Are you ready for this year's season?
Hurricane Isabel - 2003-10-17
This close-up view of Hurricane Isabel was taken by one of the Expedition 7 crewmembers onboard the International Space Station. In addition to the station's cameras, NASA satellites provided imagery of the storm, as it approached the eastern seaboard of the United States.
The 2009 Hurricane Season Outlook as stated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is projecting a near normal season this year. They are predicting 9 - 14 named storms, 4 - 7 could become hurricanes including 1 - 3 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5). They state that a normal season has 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, 2 major hurricanes.
2008 saw 16 named storms, that included 8 hurricanes, 5 of which were major (at Category 3 and above).
For those that would like to track the storms this season, the tracking chart provided by NOAA, will come in handy. This could be an educational experience for your children or grandchildren. Who knows, you just might have a future meteorologist in your family.
The following comprises what you should do prior to a storm hitting your area. Even though technology has improved greatly, the past few years have proven just how unpredictable these storms can be. Preparedness is THE most important thing for Hurricane Season. Even though you may not have been hit with a storm last year, you should not lull yourself into a false sense of security. If you are told to evacuate...DO IT! It is always better to be safe and alive than sorry and a statistic! We need to learn from the past and not become a statistic. Remember things can be replaced, life cannot.
Having a Family Plan is a great way to get everyone involved and learn how to protect yourselves better during storm season.
The Disaster Supply Kit will help you be better prepared should a storm hit your area. Remember, just because you may not be in an evacuation area doesn't mean you cannot get the winds and rain from these storms. You may have your home protected and have a safe place in your home, but you still need to have these items on hand for after the storm.
Remember, if you are told to evacuate...DO IT! During your preparations, you should always Have A Place To Go. This list will help you in your preparations should you receive the evacuation order. Remember not to wait until the last minute...you do not want to be a statistic!
Securing Your Home is important. The list explains the most important areas to have secured as well as mechanisms to utilize in protecting your home, such as shutters. There is even a link to the National Flood Insurance Program in this list.
Having A Pet Plan will help you in protecting those that are unable to protect themselves. It explains what needs to be done prior to, during and after a disaster. It also gives you a supply kit list. Remember to NEVER leave your pet behind!
For the history buff in all of us, why not check out this list of some of the most notable storms in Hurricane History.
Have a happy and safe summer but remember to be diligent when the storm warnings are announced.
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