The start of June in Louisiana doesn’t just mean the beginning of summer; it’s also the start of hurricane season. LSU Health Climatologist Barry Keim says this year’s season has been forecasted to be below average, with a predicted total of 8-14 named storms, thanks to El Niño conditions.
“That basically creates enough windshear to keep a hurricane season from really blossoming,” Keim said.
While there may be fewer named storms forecasted overall, models still predict the formation of one to three major hurricanes. Keim says to stay alert, because all it takes is one storm to ruin your year.
“Mother Nature can always spin up a major, major hurricane, even when many of these major indicators are telling us, ‘Looking forward to a relatively quiet season,'” Keim noted.
Keim says the start of the season is a great time to make preparations in case of a storm. Test flashlights, batteries and generators, and make sure your family is on the same page in case of evacuation.
“Just be smart about it; get your plan in place. And just because the forecast is below normal does not mean we will not get hit, so just be prepared,” Keim warned.
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