2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season: How to Prepare

As Tropical Storm Bonnie churns in the Atlantic, threatening to rain out Memorial Day weekend for the Carolinas, Maryland residents might want to take stock of their emergency supplies and review plans for storms that reach the Mid-Atlantic region.

2016 Hurricane Season Outlook

The experts at Colorado State University have issued their forecast for the upcoming season, which starts June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.

The good news is that forecasters anticipate average hurricane activity this year. That bad news is that average could still produce a total of 12 named storms, five hurricanes and two major hurricanes, according to Colorado State’s forecast.

“We anticipate that the 2016 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have approximately average activity,” the school's forecast says. The probabilities set for “at least one major (Category 3-4-5) hurricane landfall” are as follows:

• Entire U.S. coastline – 50 percent (the average for the last century is 52 percent)
• U.S. East Coast including the Florida peninsula – 30 percent (average for the last century is 31 percent)
• Gulf Coast from Florida’s Panhandle to Brownsville – 29 percent (average for the last century is 30 percent)

“Coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active seasons for them, and they need to prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted,” the forecasters said.

But, just what to residents need to do to be ready for the 2016 hurricane season?

According to the National Hurricane Center, there’s more to it than just stocking up on water and nonperishable food.

Pre-Hurricane Checklist

Here’s a checklist of things the center recommends residents do before storms arrive:

• Discuss the types of hazards that could affect your family. Know your home’s vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind.
• Locate a safe room or the safest areas in your home for each hurricane hazard. In some circumstances, the safest areas may not be in your home, but within your community.
• Determine escape routes from your home and places to meet. These should be measured in tens of miles rather than hundreds of miles.
• Have an out-of-state friend as a family contact, so all your family members have a single point of contact.
• Make a plan now for what to do with your pets if you need to evacuate.
• Post emergency telephone numbers beside your phones and make sure your children know how and when to call 911. (You can also add emergency numbers to your cellphone contact list for easy reference.)
• Check your insurance coverage – flood damage is not usually covered by homeowners insurance.
• Stock nonperishable emergency supplies and a disaster supply kit.
• Use a NOAA weather radio. Remember to replace its battery every six months, as you do with your smoke detectors.
• Take first aid, CPR and disaster preparedness classes.

How to Get Home, Family Ready

The Maryland Office of Emergency Management suggests following these steps to get your family and home ready for hurricane season.

Determine your risk

Understand how hurricanes can affect where you live, work, go to school and play and how the weather could impact you, your family and your community. Check the weather forecast regularly and sign up for local alerts from emergency management officials and obtain a NOAA Weather Radio.

Develop an evacuation plan

Create an emergency plan and practice how and where you will evacuate if instructed by emergency officials. Ask about evacuation plans at the places where you spend time such as work or community organizations. If you typically rely on elevators, have a back-up plan in case they are not working.

Secure an insurance check-up

Examine your insurance policy to understand your coverage and make sure everything is up to date. Most standard policies for homeowners, renters and condominiums do not cover damage caused by rising water. Contact your insurance provider to discuss National Flood Insurance Program policies.

Assemble disaster supplies

Create a kit to plan for at least three days based on you and your family’s personal needs. Set aside one gallon of water per person per day, including pets. Some recommended items are: perishable food, battery-powered or hand-crank radio, flashlight with extra batteries, first aid kit, can opener, prescription medications, infant formula and diapers, pet food, and important documents (i.e., copies of insurance policies, bank accounts, identification).

Strengthen your home

Fortify your home to reduce the impact to your property. Trim trees and shrubs, reinforce roofs, windows, and doors, elevate and anchor utilities and install sewer backflow valves.

Residents readying for the season can get tips and advice on the federal government’s Ready.gov website.

To keep up with potential storm activity, bookmark the National Hurricane Center’s website. For local weather and severe weather alerts, visit the National Weather Service online.

Source: National Weather Service

Image from the National Weather Service Facebook page