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Hurricane Season: Be prepared

  • Published
  • By Maj. Bill Walsh
  • 315th Airlift Wing Public Affairs
CHARLESTON, S.C. --  We are getting set to enter the busiest part of hurricane season which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. During that time, 79 percent of tropical storms and hurricanes form between August and October, and the season peaks on September 10.
 
Dr. Bill Gray of Colorado State University updated his forecast for the season the first week of August and increased the number of predicted storms. His forecast calls for 18 named storms with 10 becoming hurricanes. He went on to forecast that five of the 10 hurricanes would become "major" hurricanes, or above category three strength.

TheNational Weather Service is also looking for an above average season. The reason scientists are looking at more storm development has to do with sea surface temperatures that are as warm as 2005 which was the record setting Katrina year. They also look at mid and upper level winds and atmospheric moisture content in the Atlantic Basin. Another ingredient that plays a role is sand particles from the Sahel region of Africa that get caught up in the tropical trade winds. This year all the ingredients point to a more active season.

It's important not to focus on the number of storms, but be ready for that single one that might come calling someday. In 1989 Hurricane Hugo made landfall across Charleston Harbor with winds of 140 mph as a category four. The damage was devastating, and it took years to bring the city back to normal. The important thing to remember is where you would go, how you will get there and what to bring if a hurricane warning or evacuation order is issued.

There are hundreds of resources online for you to check out including local television stations, the National Weather Service, South Carolina Emergency Preparedness Division and others. Unlike earthquakes and other natural disasters, we can see when a hurricane forms and predict where it's going to go well in advance. This gives all of us an edge when it comes to preparing and the time to be ready if Mother Nature brings a hurricane our way.

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