Hurricane Safety preparedness

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HOPE IS NOT A HURRICANE STRATEGY

As we progress further into the year, weather experts at AccuWeather have pointed out a climatic shift that could greatly impact the intensity of the 2024 hurricane season. This transition from the El Niño pattern to La Niña might seem like no big deal, but do not be fooled. This switch is expected to take place during the latter half of the hurricane season. NOAA has already issued a watch for La Niña, predicting a 55% likelihood of its development between June and mid August.

Understanding the Patterns

El Niño and La Niña represent opposing phases of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) cycle, with each phase playing a role in shaping weather patterns. ENSO is a climate event characterized by periodic fluctuations in sea surface temperatures and atmospheric pressure in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.

During El Niño events, warmer than average sea surface temperatures develop in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean, suppressing hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin due to increased wind shear and atmospheric instability. Conversely, El Niño tends to increase hurricane activity in the eastern Pacific region. In contrast, La Niña, characterized by cooler sea surface temperatures in the same region, typically enhances hurricane activity in the Atlantic by reducing wind shear and creating more favorable atmospheric conditions. This results in a decrease in Atlantic hurricane activity during La Niña events, as the warmer waters in the Atlantic may be less conducive to hurricane development.

What does this mean?

During the beginning of hurricane season, the west coast of the United States will have an increased likelihood of hurricane activity. Meanwhile, starting as early as June, or when the shift to the La Niña hurricane season occurs, the east coast will be more at risk of experiencing increasing hurricane activity.

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wHAT TO DO TO PREPARE FOR HURRICANE SEASON

Prepare Early. Do NOT wait until the last minute to prepare your family, home, or business for tropical storms. AccuWeather has advised caution, warning that storms could intensify rapidly near land due to exceptionally warm waters, causing dangerous storm surges.

Because of this, establishing an Emergency Readiness Plan becomes important, aiding in the creation of preplanned evacuation routes and ensuring access to essential supplies and communication methods in the event of outages. Key items to include in your hurricane preparedness kit encompass several days’ worth of non-perishable food and water, a battery-powered or hand-crank radio, a flashlight, a first aid kit, a whistle for signaling help, and tools like wrenches or pliers. Additionally, don’t overlook the necessity of pet supplies if you have animals. Proper preparation can increase your likelihood of ensuring your safety during the challenges posed by hurricanes.

Secure your home. Consider taking measures to enhance protection against winds and floods. This may include installing storm shutters, strengthening roofs, and ensuring substantial water drainage around your property.

Conduct an Insurance Review. With an intensified hurricane season on the rise, it is important to ensure your insurance policies include protection against hurricanes, floods, wind, and any other damage you might see. If you have questions regarding your policies, we emphasize to please reach out before it is too late.

Tower Street Insurance IS HERE TO HELP YOU THROUGH TOUGH WEATHER

Our agents here at Tower Street Insurance can assess your current coverage for your personal and business needs. Do not wait until it is too late. For assistance, please call us at 469-788-8888 or email us at admin@towerstreetinsurance.com.

We would love to set up a meeting to go over your coverage with you and provide you with a coverage gap analysis completely free of charge! Reach out to us today to schedule a meeting and get a quote today.