An above-average number of storms are expected during this year’s Atlantic hurricane season, forecasters at the National Hurricane Center warn.
That is slightly higher than the average of 14 storms that usually occur over the course of a hurricane season.
“Everything’s in place for an above-average season,” said Ken Graham, the director of the National Weather Service, which oversees the National Hurricane Center, at an event to announce the forecast.
Abnormally warm ocean temperatures are the main reason forecasters expect an above-average number of storms this year, Graham said.
FEMA was not present at the annual hurricane forecast announcement Usually, top federal emergency officials attend the hurricane forecast announcement in May.
This year’s Atlantic hurricane season is predicted to see more storms than usual, according to National Hurricane Center forecasters. Tens of millions reside in regions vulnerable to severe hurricane-related flooding, storm surge, and wind damage.
From June 1 to November 30, 13 to 19 storms are predicted to form in the Atlantic. That is marginally more than the typical 14 storms that occur during a hurricane season. Storms have occurred more frequently than usual in five of the previous six years.
Six of those storms are predicted to develop into hurricanes, with three to five of those storms being major hurricanes. Winds from major hurricanes are strong enough to destroy mobile homes, damage roofs, and topple trees. Despite being weaker tropical storms, the remaining ones have the potential to cause fatal flooding far from the coast.
“Everything’s in place for an above-average season,” National Weather Service director Ken Graham, who presides over the National Hurricane Center, said during a forecast announcement event.
Not all hurricanes that develop over the ocean end up on land. However, when combined, they kill dozens of people annually in the United States. S. . and storm surge, flooding, and other water-related hazards account for the majority of those fatalities.
“The biggest killer with these things is water,” Graham stated. “In a lot of my observations, inland flooding results in a higher death toll than coastal flooding. Hurricane Helene, which made landfall in Florida and roared up into Georgia, North Carolina, and parts of Appalachia last year, left behind devastating amounts of rain and washed entire neighborhoods away, killing over 200 people.
Hurricane Ian’s devastating storm surge in 2022 killed over 150 people and damaged Florida to the tune of over $100 billion. Significant flood damage, extending hundreds of miles inland, was also brought on by comparatively weak storms in 2017 and 2018.
New hurricane threats are a result of climate change.
Due in part to abnormally high sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic hurricane-forming region and the Gulf of Mexico, where many hurricanes build up strength before making landfall, climate change increases the frequency of powerful storms.
Since burning fossil fuels releases greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide, the majority of the excess heat that humans trap in the atmosphere is absorbed by the oceans. According to Graham, forecasters anticipate an above-normal number of storms this year primarily due to abnormally warm ocean temperatures.
Additionally, a warmer atmosphere has the capacity to retain more moisture, which can result in catastrophic flooding from intense precipitation.
“We are seeing heavier rainfall,” Graham stated. The number of communities saying, ‘Wow, I’ve lived here my entire life,’ is increasing. I have never witnessed such a high rate of rainfall. “..”.
When the annual hurricane forecast was announced, FEMA was not there.
The May hurricane forecast announcement is typically attended by senior federal emergency officials. For at least the past ten years, a senior representative from the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has been present at each hurricane outlook briefing to offer advice on how the general public should get ready for hurricane season.
The announcement was made today in Jefferson Parish, Louisiana, which is close to the location where Hurricane Katrina made landfall almost 20 years ago, but no FEMA official spoke. When NPR asked FEMA why the agency wasn’t at the event, the agency didn’t answer.
“It’s extremely concerning that the country’s top emergency management organization isn’t informing people that they need to start preparing right away,” says Jeremy Edwards, a former FEMA spokesperson who used to attend hurricane forecast announcements in that capacity. “I find it a little puzzling that you wouldn’t seize those chances. Trying to assist others in getting ready doesn’t cost you anything. You have nothing to lose by attempting to save lives. “.”.
Instead, weather officials provided a range of preparedness tips, such as reviewing your evacuation plan if you live near the coast, determining whether local rivers are likely to flood, looking into flood insurance, and using electrical generators safely.
The president of Jefferson Parish, Cynthia Lee-Sheg, stated that “making important decisions in advance is the best way to thrive during a disaster.”.
FEMA officials have previously urged residents of hurricane-prone areas to create a thorough evacuation plan that outlines their plans for handling pets, bringing medical equipment and prescription drugs, and assisting elderly or disabled loved ones in reaching safety.
In the past, FEMA officials have advised residents of inland areas to prepare for staying indoors without electricity. annually, individuals in the U.S. A. die in the aftermath of hurricanes, when roads are swept away or blocked by debris, preventing emergency vehicles from passing through, and water and electricity are interrupted.
President Trump has declared that FEMA should be abolished in its current form and has established a council to suggest reforms for the organization. The Trump administration replaced the acting head of FEMA with a Department of Homeland Security official who had no prior experience in emergency management, just weeks before hurricane season began.
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem responded this week to claims that FEMA is ill-prepared for hurricane season by stating that the agency’s new leaders “have been actively engaged in making sure that we are pre-deploying resources, staff, equipment out in anticipation of hurricane season” and “making sure that we are adequately prepared for this season ahead of us.”. “.”.
