Hurricane Preparedness Week gives Floridians time to prepare for 'active' hurricane season
The 2024 hurricane season is less than a month out and Florida is getting ready with its hurricane preparedness week.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) declared this week as “National Hurricane Preparedness Week” in an effort to make people aware of what is expected to be an active Atlantic hurricane season.
During the weeklong event, officials hope that people will use the time to restock their disaster supply kits, review and update emergency plans and make sure they know how to stay updated on the latest weather info.
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“Florida Preparedness Week is the perfect time to sit down with your family and ensure you have a customized plan for your household,” Gov. Ron DeSantis said. “It only takes one storm to impact an entire community, so I encourage all residents to know their risks, make an evacuation plan and have all essential supplies needed to stay safe before June 1.”
Here’s what you should know.
When is hurricane season?
The Atlantic hurricane season begins and ends on the same dates each year: June 1 and Nov. 30. During this time, tropical and subtropical cyclones have a greater chance of forming in the North Atlantic Ocean. Other regions of the world have different hurricane seasons.
When does hurricane season peak?
Historically, hurricane season peaks around the beginning of September, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Atlantic hurricane season 2024 outlook
The latest Atlantic hurricane season outlook suggests that it will be an extremely active one as the current El Ni?o conditions are expected to transition to La Ni?a around summer or fall.
The latest forecast from NOAA predicts an 82% chance of La Nina for the peak of hurricane season.
In a typical year, there are about 14 named tropical storms that crop up in the Atlantic basin, with about seven storms developing into a hurricane and 3 becoming major hurricanes (Category 3 and above). NOAA predicts that there will be 23 named storms, 11 hurricanes and five major hurricanes.
Hurricane prep: The 2024 Atlantic hurricane season is gearing up to be an active one. Now's the time to prepare
Hurricane preparedness tips
The Florida Division of Emergency Management provided several low ? or no-cost tips for preparing for the upcoming hurricane season.
Make a plan: Create an emergency plan known to everyone in your household. The plan should cater to everyone’s specific needs, including kids, pets and seniors. Plans should include a list of personal needs and resources. You should plan for at least seven days of supplies. It should include important contact information, need-to-know information that could be useful in case of an emergency, an evacuation route and more.
Build a kit: Part of those plans should include an emergency kit. Emergency kits should include enough non-perishable foods and water to last at least seven days for each family member. This should also include extra medication and personal documents.
Make sure you sign up for emergency and weather alerts: When a storm is on the way, the news will be flooded with information, but it can be hard to stay abreast of all the updates. Ensure you are signed up for weather alerts from local officials and sources to keep you informed.
Know your zone: In the case of major hurricanes, it’s important to know what evacuation zone you live in and what your evacuation routes are, especially if you live in a mobile home or a flood-prone area.
Keep your gas tanks half full: Anyone living in an area with an approaching storm should ensure they keep their gas tanks half full. This will help ensure you have enough gas to evacuate at a moment’s notice.
Florida hurricane sales tax holidays
Under a new bill Gov. Ron DeSantis signed Tuesday, Florida will have two hurricane preparedness tax-free weekends. The first will take black from June 1-14, just at the start of hurricane season. The second will take place from Aug. 24 - Sept. 6.
Here’s what it includes:
Self-powered lights of $40 or less.
Portable self-powered radio, two-way radio or weather-band radio of $50 or less.
A tarpaulin or other flexible waterproof sheeting with a sales price of $100 or less.
An item normally sold as, or generally advertised as, a ground anchor system or tie-down kit with a sales price of $100 or less.
A gas or diesel fuel tank with a sales price of $50 or less.
A package of AA-cell, AAA-cell, C-cell, D-cell, 6-volt, or 9-volt batteries, excluding automobile and boat batteries, with a sales price of $50 or less.
A nonelectric food storage cooler with a sales price of $60 or less.
A portable generator used to provide light or communications or preserve food in the event of a power outage with a sales price of $3,000 or less.
Reusable ice with a sales price of $20 or less.
A portable power bank with a sales price of $60 or less.
A smoke detector or smoke alarm with a sales price of $70 or less.
A fire extinguisher with a sales price of $70 or less.
A carbon monoxide detector with a sales price of $70 or less.
This article originally appeared on Pensacola News Journal: Hurricane Preparedness Week gives Florida prep time for active season