Hurricane Primer

As the days get warmer and longer, visions of weekend visits to the springs and backyard barbeques are what North Florida residents look forward to in the summer.

But, with the summer months comes another grim reality for Floridians: hurricane season.

In December, William Gray and Phil Klotzbach of Colorado State University predicted that the 2008 hurricane season would be average with 11 named storms, six hurricanes and two major hurricanes, according to a Floridatoday.com article.

However, these predictions have recently been updated to forecast an above average hurricane season.

“We think the forecast is going to be relatively aggressive,” said Michael Schlatcher, in a Bloomberg.com article in April. Schlatcher is chief meteorologist at Manhattan-based Weather 2000. “Conditions are favorable for the formation of Atlantic hurricanes.”

The updated forecast, according to newspress.com, includes 15 named storms, four tropical storms and eight hurricanes, four of which are major hurricanes. A major hurricane is a hurricane with winds that exceed 111 mph.

For coastal areas, storm surge — the rising of sea levels during a hurricane — is the greatest threat in hurricanes. Storm surge is responsible for the most deaths and damage to property when a hurricane strikes.

Although inland residents do not have to deal with storm surge, they still face a triple threat of damaging winds, flooding rains and tornadoes.

Tornadoes are also a threat of which everyone in the path of a hurricane must be wary. According to the National Weather Service, tornadoes produced by hurricanes are generally weaker than mid-latitude tornadoes, but they are still a prominent threat.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30 and it is never too early to begin making a plan to keep you and your family safe.

Even after the clouds have cleared, hurricanes can leave people in a dangerous situation,. Every family should be able to support themselves for at least three days after a hurricane. According to www.ready.gov, an emergency kit includes the following supplies:

• One gallon of water per person, per day for at least three days for drinking and sanitation
• Three-day supply of non-perishable food items
• Battery-powered radio with extra batteries
• NOAA weather radio
• Flashlights with extra batteries
• First aid kit
• Adequate amounts of necessary medication
• Manual can opener
• Local maps
• Wrench or pliers to turn off utilities
• Moist towelettes, garbage bags and plastic ties for sanitation
• Dust mask to filter contaminated air
• Necessary items to care for pets, young children and the elderly

A hurricane’s path can often shift with little or no warning.
Having an evacuation plan can ease the stress of getting out of harm’s way.

• Map out a route in advance and plan where to go
• Plan an alternate route in case of emergency
• Let friends and family members know where you will be residing during the storm
• Take your emergency kit with you
• Take your pets but understand that only service animals will be allowed in public shelters
• Fill up your car with gas a few days in advance in case a storm threaten
  

Laura Kubitz is a student in UF’s College of Journalism.
She may be contacted through the editor: editor@towerpublications.com.