2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season: What You Need to Know

Ready or not, the 2015 Atlantic Hurricane Season has officially arrived. While forecasters are predicting a below-average season in regard to the number of storms, that doesn’t mean Tampa Bay area residents should take that as a pass to slack on preparing for the worst.

“A below-normal season doesn’t mean we’re off the hook,” NOAA administrator Kathryn Sullivan was quoted in a media release as saying. “As we’ve seen before, below-normal seasons can still produce catastrophic impacts to communities.”

Sullivan was referencing the 1992 season that only saw seven named storms in total. The first storm that year was Andrew – the monster Category 5 storm that wreaked havoc on South Florida.

With the season stretching all the way through Nov. 30, residents throughout the Bay area are urged to create emergency kits, know whether they reside in evacuation zones and brush up on the safest routes out of town should evacuations be called for.

Here’s a county-by-county breakdown of where to go for important hurricane information:

Pinellas County

The county has put together an extensive list of resources available to residents on its website. Residents can follow these links to access information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Creating disaster plans
• Shelters

The county’s full 2015 hurricane guide is also available for download by following this link.

Sarasota County

Residents will find the county’s emergency management website is the place to go for everything they need to know about surviving the season.

Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Shelter locations
• Getting Prepared

Manatee County

Manatee County Emergency Management office provides a wealth of information on its website. Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones and route maps
• Shelters
• How to sign up for Code Red weather warnings

The county also has a 2015 disaster planning guide available for download.

Hillsborough County

The county’s Office of Emergency Management website offers everything residents here need to know to weather a storm. Follow these links for information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Shelters
• Planning

Pasco County

The county’s Office of Emergency Management website offers a variety of resources for the storm season. Follow these links for specific information on:

• Evacuation zones
• Getting prepared
• Shelters

The county has also prepared a Hurricane Guide that details what residents need to know. Download it by following this link.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration anticipates the 2015 season will witness the formation of six to 11 named storms. They’ve set the likelihood for that many storms at 70 percent.

Storms are named when they have winds of 39 mph or higher. Of those six to 11 storms, forecasters anticipate three to six could become full-blown hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher. Up to two major hurricanes – with winds of 111 mph or higher – could form.

Patch file photo

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