Latest news with #stormpreparation
Yahoo
3 days ago
- Climate
- Yahoo
The other season — hurricane — has arrived; being prepared is key
It's June 1, which means it's that time of year again. If you've lived in Florida for any length of time, no explanation is needed. If you're a recent arrival, it marks the beginning of the six-month Atlantic hurricane season that runs through Nov. 30. That means it's time to stock up on supplies such as water, shelf-stable foods and batteries; to make sure the generator is ready to go in the event of a power failure; and to finalize evacuation plans for your family, including any pets, if the town is in the path of a storm. It's also good to store important papers in waterproof and even fireproof containers. NOAA's prediction of 13 to 19 named storms, including six to 10 hurricanes — and three to five major hurricanes — follows others this spring that have measured the Atlantic basin's stew of ingredients and influential climate patterns to determine that the six-month season will be more active than average. More: With a busy hurricane season expected, Palm Beach encourages residents to prepare early Of note, according to reporting by Kimberly Miller of The Palm Beach Post, is a forecasting challenge this year. The atmosphere is idling in a climate purgatory between El Niño, characterized by abnormally warm water in the Equatorial Pacific, and La Niña, cooler than average water in that area. The former typically points to a less-active season, while the latter can mean a more-active season. Although the National Oceanic Atmospheric Administration has had major staff cuts under President Donald Trump's plan to trim the federal government, an official at the agency said the National Hurricane Center is fully staffed, Ms. Miller reported. That's not the case for many of the nation's 120 local weather-forecasting offices where employees were let go, balloon launches have been reduced and vacancies are unfilled, Ms. Miller noted. While Palm Beach County has been mostly spared from major hurricanes since the mean season of 2004, we have seen some storms skate by that cause destruction elsewhere. And even when that's been the case, the effects here were not always minor. Take last year, when tornadoes spawned by Hurricane Milton left a swath of destruction from Wellington north to Jupiter. Thankfully, no lives were lost, but the memory of those tornadoes serves as a reminder that one never knows what will happen during hurricane season. Milton, a Category 5 storm, made landfall in Siesta Key off Sarasota and went on to cause major damage across Central Florida. Palm Beach lies in Evacuation Zone B, which includes most of the county's barrier islands east of the Intracoastal Waterway. It and Zone A, which includes mobile homes and low-lying areas, are typically the first neighborhoods to be evacuated when a major storm approaches. Condominium residents need to remember that a state law allows associations to shut off power, elevators, water and sewer once an evacuation order has been issued. Residents cannot be forced to leave their homes, but who would want to stay without those services? Residents who chose to remain in their condos for the storm do so at their own risk because fire-rescue and police might not respond if conditions have deteriorated. Some condo residents who chose to stay during Hurricane Dorian in 2019 felt the inconvenience of remaining in their homes under those circumstances. One important thing that residents and workers on the island should remember is that they need to be on an official re-entry list, because police usually restrict access to the island during and after a storm. Applicants must have a government-issued I.D. to be placed on the re-entry list, which expires Dec. 31, 2026. To complete an application, visit the town's website. We also encourage residents who haven't already done so to sign up for town alerts while they're on the website. We love living in the Sunshine State, but a cost of that joy is navigating hurricane season. The experts will make their best guesses, and the science has helped to improve the accuracy of their predictions, but the key thing to bear in mind is preparedness. Storms can change directions quickly — or intensify rapidly. Everyone must have a hurricane plan and keep an eye on the weather forecast once a storm is on the horizon. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Daily News: Preparedness is critical now that hurricane season is here | Editorial
CBS News
6 days ago
- Climate
- CBS News
Storms of 2024 highlight why hurricane season prep is critical in South Florida
As 2025 hurricane season begins, forecasters and emergency officials are urging South Florida residents to prepare now — lessons learned from the devastating 2024 season serve as a stark reminder of what's at stake. From the outset, 2024 proved to be anything but typical. Hurricane Beryl became the earliest Category 5 hurricane ever recorded, strengthening just one month into the season. The storm tore through Caribbean nations before striking the U.S., leaving widespread devastation in its wake. "The damage is done," a resident in Grenada told CBS News. "I'm really heartbroken because this is a lot of work." A woman in southeast Texas echoed that sentiment, saying she had "never been through anything like this" before. A deadly and unpredictable 2024 peak season September, usually the height of hurricane activity, started off quieter than usual due to Saharan dust limiting storm development. But the calm didn't last. By late September, the season exploded with two powerful storms striking Florida just two weeks apart. On September 26, Hurricane Helene made landfall in Florida's Big Bend region, battering communities near Tallahassee. "It was rough. It has been rough for the last few days," one local told CBS News Miami's Najahe Sherman. But Florida was spared the worst — Helene's true devastation unfolded in the Carolinas, where catastrophic flooding and hurricane-force winds led to more than 150 deaths. Residents were left without basic necessities. "No water. Barely have food. Everything expiring in the fridge so it's down to canned goods and food trucks," one man said. Florida hit twice as hard with Hurricane Milton As the Carolinas reeled from Helene, Florida braced for another blow. Hurricane Milton made landfall near Siesta Key, delivering powerful storm surge to Gulf Coast communities still recovering from past storms like Hurricane Ian. One resident told CBS News Miami's Larry Seward: "I'm sick and tired of being sick and tired." Another man said his trailer was removed after Helene to prevent damage, only for Milton to destroy the area where it stood. Milton didn't just batter the Gulf Coast. On Florida's east coast, the storm spawned a record-breaking 45 tornadoes — the most ever generated by a single hurricane in the state. Among them was an EF-3 tornado, the strongest Florida had ever recorded. "It was a very scary moment," a longtime resident told reporter Nikiya Carrero. "Florida resident for 30 years so I'm used to hurricanes, but not tornadoes." The 2024 hurricane season left over $121 billion in damage By the end of 2024, Hurricanes Beryl, Helene, and Milton had caused more than $121 billion in combined damage across the Caribbean, Gulf Coast, and southeastern U.S. Their aftermath underscores the urgency of preparation for every household in hurricane-prone regions. As the 2025 hurricane season begins, experts stress the importance of stocking up on supplies, understanding evacuation zones, and staying weather-aware. Because when it comes to hurricanes, history shows it's not a matter of if, but when.
CTV News
23-05-2025
- Climate
- CTV News
Province names three-person team to lead NB Power review
NB Power trucks are pictured in preparation of wind-related outages Sunday, April 20, 2025. (Source: X/NB Power)
