Hurricane season begins for the Atlantic and Central Pacific region on June 1, 2011. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted that more hurricanes than average will form and threaten homes and businesses in the Atlantic basin.
NOAA is predicting the following ranges for the six-month-long hurricane season:
- 12 to 18 named storms(winds of 39 mph or higher).
- Six to 10 of those storms could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher).
- Three to six of those hurricanes could become major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).
Each of these ranges has a 70 percent likelihood of occurring, NOAA reported.
“The United States was fortunate last year. Winds steered most of the season’s tropical storms and all hurricanes away from our coastlines,” said Jane Lubchenco, under secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and NOAA administrator, in a news release. “However we can’t count on luck to get us through this season. We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook.”
NOAA’s season hurricane outlook does not predict where and when any of these storms might hit. Landfall is dictated by weather patterns at the time the storm approaches, according to the NOAA news release.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has resources to help private businesses of all sizes, plus families and community organizations, to plan and prepare for hurricanes and other possible disasters. Visit www.Ready.gov/hurricanes to learn how to get ready for bad weather.
“Businesses have a vital role in preparedness as well. Putting a disaster plan in motion now will improve the likelihood that your company may recover from a disaster faster. Ready Business (www.Ready.gov/business) outlines commonsense measures business owners and managers can take to start getting ready,” stated a FEMA news release.