What to Expect From This Year’s Hurricane Season (and How to Prepare It)
It may seem like we finally said goodbye to winter, but with the warm weather comes hurricane season. Pending, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recently released its predictions for the 2021 hurricane season , which starts June 1.
First, the bad news: NOAA expects another active hurricane season. But the good news is, meteorologists don’t expect things to be as bad as last year. Here’s what you need to know about the 2021 hurricane season, including what you need to do to prepare and stay safe.
What to expect from the 2021 hurricane season
Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 – a decent part of the year. Here’s an overview of NOAA’s predictions :
In 2021, the likely range of 13 to 20 named storms (wind speed 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (wind speed 74 mph or higher), including 3-5 major hurricanes (wind speed categories 3, 4, or 5; wind speed 111 mph and above) is expected. NOAA provides these ranges with 70% confidence.
“It’s time for communities along the coastline, as well as inland, to prepare for the hazards that hurricanes can bring,” Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement released by NOAA . “NOAA experts are committed to providing communities with life-saving early warnings and forecasts, which will also help minimize the economic impact of storms.”
How to prepare for hurricane season
This is a topic that Lifehacker has covered in some detail over the years, including the following:
- Top hurricane tips from real Florida residents
- What you need to know about Storm terminology before your next big hit hits
- How to take shelter from a storm during a pandemic (because, like it or not, we are still in a pandemic)
- Stay safe during hurricane season with these apps and websites
- Hurricane categories and their meaning
- How to keep yourself safe during a hurricane
- Why storm surges are so important
- Protecting your electronics from hurricanes
- What to do after a hurricane
The most recent hours and alerts can be found on the National Hurricane Center website throughout the season.