HURRICANE SEASON Starts in NINE Days! Spend a Little Time Buying Extra Food & Water, And Making Sure You Have Batteries And Solar Chargers!

RISKAlert #1945 May 22, 2024 National Hurricane Center

The Gulf of Mexico coast, and the eastern United States will likely see a very busy Hurricane season. Experts predict DOUBLE the number of hurricanes and tropical weather. A primary reason is that sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Main Development Region (Item A) remain abnormally warm for this time of the year, meaning the region is primed for potential tropical cyclone development over the next few months. The European forecast model shows the possibility of tropical cyclone development in the Caribbean by the end of this month or the first week of June.

The most significant indicator of an active season is the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO) forecast for this summer. Phases 1 and 2 of favor tropical cyclone development because they enhance precipitation over much of the northern portion of Africa, where thunderstorms develop and eventually move into the eastern Atlantic to sometimes become tropical depressions.

According to expert Larry Wilson, the available body of evidence strongly suggests an active tropical cyclone season that carries with it a significant risk of damage exposure to the Gulf of Mexico and lower half of the East Coast. The escalating climate change makes any forecast dubious because we cannot know how these changes may impact development in the Atlantic this summer!

This is why experts strongly recommend starting hurricane and tropical storm preparations early.

Here is a list of resources:

1. ready.gov/kit - How to build an Emergency Kit for Weather Emergencies!

2. Create a plan for your business and home

3. Download the FEMA App (available in English and Spanish) to receive weather alerts, safety tips and reminders and be ready for the unexpected.

CHECKLIST OF EMERGENCY PREPAREDNESS

? Know what kind of disasters and emergencies are most common for where you live.

? Create your emergency communications plan. Use our free template to conveniently record important contact and medical information about your family, which you then can share with others and store copies both digitally and on paper.

? Make sure you store important phone numbers somewhere besides just your cell phone.

? Sign up for emergency alerts in your area to receive life-saving information from your state and local municipality.

? Download the FEMA App (available in English and Spanish) to receive weather alerts, safety tips and reminders and be ready for the unexpected.

? Build your emergency supply kit over time. Start with items you may already have in your home, like a flashlight, extra batteries, copies of important documents, water and non-perishable food. When you go to the grocery store, you can pick up an extra item each time that you use regularly, especially if it’s on sale! Community food banks are a potential resource for food-insecure families to stock their emergency supply kits.

? Talk with family or members of your household about where you will go if told to evacuate. Having a plan before disaster strikes can help you save precious time and money.

? Store important documents and items like passports, birth certificates, maps and electronics in a flood-safe place like a high shelf or upper floor in resealable water-tight plastic bags to help waterproof them. Store important documents like insurance policies digitally.

? Contact your local fire department. They may have programs that provide fire or carbon monoxide detectors.

? Check online for free or discounted CPR courses offered near you.

? Visit Floodsmart.gov to know your area’s level of flood risk.

? Download free preparedness resources.

THANKS FOR READING:

To make sure your organization is safe, we offer Active Shooter and Workplace Violence Risk Assessments, Policy Preparation, and Training Classes, both Live and On-Line.

Our WEATHER DIVISION can help you write an effective Emergency Plan and help prepare your Emergency Kit. For more information, write: Larry Wilson at [email protected]

Caroline Ramsey-Hamilton at [email protected], or David A. Ward at [email protected]. We provide the best Active Shooter & Workplace Violence Risk Assessments, as well as Advanced Workplace Violence Training & Drills, CMS All-Hazards Security Risk Assessments, Safety Inspections and OSHA Safety Assessments and Training.