Get ready for another active hurricane season. NOAA is predicting an above-average season, with 13 to 19 named storms. Of them, they predict six to ten hurricanes, with three to five being major hurricanes – Category Three or higher. National Weather Service Director Ken Graham says even a storm that does not rise to the level of a major hurricane can still be very devastating.
“I’ll make sure we’ll never have a hurricane ‘Just a.’ There’s no such thing as ‘Just a Cat. One,’ so no such thing as ‘Just a Cat. Two,” Just a Cat. Three,” every one of them are different. The bigger the storm, the slower the storm, the more the impact. I don’t care the category,” Graham said.
With the forecast of an above-average hurricane season, Graham is urging you to start building your emergency kit now.
“There’s no lines for supplies today. No lines for gas, no lines for plywood, no lines for water. So, while there’s no lines, it’s a good time to go out there and get your supplies and your kit put together,” Graham advised.
Graham says there are several factors that are contributing to the forecast of an above-average hurricane season.
“Warm sea surface temperatures are probably the number one contributor. Not much wind shear. Wind shear forms a part. We don’t expect a lot of wind shear, and the African monsoons is a conducive spot to be able to launch out the waves, launch out the storms from there which get the warm waters, and they develop,” Graham said.
Graham says storms can strengthen very rapidly, pointing out that all recent Category Five hurricanes were tropical storms 72 hours earlier.
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