How Bad Could The Upcoming Hurricane Season Be?

A Message from your Publisher Reg Buxton

How bad could the upcoming hurricane season be? Perhaps, the busiest ever. This is largely due to the near record-high temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, along with reduced Atlantic trade winds, less wind shear, and a stronger than average African monsoon season. The La Niña conditions in the Pacific Ocean are also linked to a more active Atlantic season.

All these factors combined (warmer water, wind shear, active African monsoon season, and La Niña) are the “perfect storm” of conditions required for producing many, many hurricanes. NOAA has predicted that there will likely be between 17 and 25 named storms forming this year. Up to 13 of those storms are expected to become hurricanes and 7 of that number are expected to be major
Category 3 or higher storms. This season has the markings to perhaps be the most destructive on record. Even as I write this column, Hurricane BERYL- the largest, early hurricane ever has just finished wreaking havoc from the southern Caribbean all the way to Texas.

Now is the time to be and get prepared by doing the following:
Get your supplies
Go over your plans if you shelter in place
Know your evacuation routes
Have copies of all important papers, medical
records, and prescriptions

All it takes is one storm to destroy a community. Over the course of my life, I have been through 51 storms in Florida, the Caribbean, and Asia and had two vessels sunk under me from storms. I have the greatest respect for the power of Mother Nature, please, this storm season, you do the same.