It is hard to believe that Hurricane Season 2017 is almost here. Since the last hurricane seasonal projection, lots of things have changed to make almost a complete 360. Now it does not look as likely that El Nino will be strong enough to affect the peak of the 20017 season. In addition, the water temperatures have rapidly started to warm up.
Hurricane Matthew last season should of been a huge wake up call to all of the East Coast. Most of us think that “It will never hit us. The weather people are always wrong”. it is exactly this type of thinking that causes people to loose their lives and property.
Things have changed a lot since the hurricanes of 2004 and 2005. People have become more dependent on technology and the internet plus the use of smart phones has increased dramatically. This thinking makes most folks a lot less able to weather out a 2 week period without any of the basic conveniences, especially smart phones and internet. The harsh reality is that after a major hurricane, smartphones, internet and electricity could be out for days and in some extreme cases for weeks. Many folks also think that help will arrive hours after a storm has passed. this is again a harsh reality, because it most likely will not. We will be on our own for days before any help or resources are available. That is why it is so important to have an emergency kit with non-perishable food, lots of water, a generator with lots of fuel available and many other necessities. With all the essentials you need on hand, enduring an extended period with no power can be made a lot more tolerable. Think of it as camping out. Just do not wait till a storm is coming to try and get your supplies.
You should have a hurricane meeting with your family on or soon after June 1st. Discuss what you will do, at what wind speed would you decide to evacuate etc. you can even have a family hurricane drill to get an idea of what to expect after a storm. Pick a day when you have lots of time and shut down your entire house (except the fridge) for several hours. Shut off all the phones and computers and simulate a complete outage. During this time, think about what you can eat that will not require refrigeration or cooking. Some good suggestions are canned meats, fruit packs that are not refrigerated, puddings that do not need refrigeration, snack packs of applesauce, canned milk that can be used on cereal, pickles in small snack packs etc. If you have other ideas, please post them in the comments area below!
In short, 2017 may come and go with not a single hurricane strike in the US or in Florida, but history has shown that the worse case scenario can and does happen. we have been blessed here along the Treasure Coast for many years as has much of the East Coast with no major storms but that time will run out at some point. We live in paradise but we are not exempt from weather disasters. Be ready, be safe!!
Keep aware of the tropical conditions right here! The latest storms will always be posted:
http://www.joesdiscoweathercentral.com/Tropical_Web_Forecasts.html