The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is predicting a higher than average hurricane season this year. The 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to November 30, is predicted to have a 65 percent chance of being an above normal season. The increased activity is attributed to factors such as ongoing La Niña, warmer than average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, and an enhanced west African monsoon.
The busy Atlantic hurricane season is expecting 14 to 21 named storms, six to ten hurricanes (wind speeds of 74 mph or higher) and three to six major hurricanes (wind speeds of 111 mph or higher). Storms that form in the Atlantic basin (the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea), typically have an average season of 14 named storms with 7 hurricanes and 3 classified as major.
Typhoons and hurricanes are the same weather phenomenon which meteorologists refer to as tropical cyclones. Ultimately, how the National Hurricane Center classifies systems, be it tropical storms, major hurricanes, tropical cyclones, or typhoons, depends on wind speed and where the storm originates in the world. Once a tropical cyclone reaches maximum sustained winds of 74 miles per hour or higher, it is then classified as a tropical cyclone, typhoon or a hurricane. In the South Pacific and Indian Ocean, the generic term tropical cyclone is used, whereas the term hurricane is used when storms form in the Atlantic or Eastern Pacific Oceans.
Early preparation is key before NOAA hurricane season arrives
Wherever you live, you do not want to wait for hurricane season to arrive to start preparing your home and business, especially if you live on the coast. Knowing evacuation roots, having an emergency supplies stash, preparing an inventory of your personal property, and reviewing your insurance policies are all important items to complete before a major hurricane strikes.
Two of the most destructive hurricanes to make landfall in the United States were Hurricane Katrina, which hit the gulf coast in 2005, and Hurricane Harvey in 2017, costing an estimated combined total of $323 billion in damages. More recently, in 2021, Hurricane Ida hit as a category 4 causing $76 billion in damages. Hurricane Ida was so deadly and destructive, on April 27, 2022, the World Meteorological Organization Hurricane Committee retired the name Ida from the rotating lists of Atlantic tropical cyclone names.
Not every hurricane needs to be a category 4 or 5 to cause substantial damage. Even a tropical storm can induce storm surge bringing significant destruction to your home or business. Those who don’t live on the coast are not immune either as hurricanes can cause inland flooding as well.
Flood insurance and windstorm insurance are NOT typically included in a standard homeowners insurance policy, and there is usually a waiting period before flood or windstorm insurance becomes active, typically 30 days, so you want to secure coverage well before hurricane season hits. If you are unsure what your homeowners policy includes, contact a Brooks, Todd & McNeil agent who can review your coverage. If you bought a new home during the pandemic or made any upgrades to an existing home, now is the time to make sure you have the right coverage – and enough of it – to protect your home and business this hurricane season.