The Atlantic hurricane season is underway, with Beryl hitting the Texas coast on Monday, July 8. The arrival of Beryl, only the second named hurricane of the season, brings renewed attention to the importance of being prepared for hurricanes and tropical storms, especially for those living near the Gulf Coast and inland communities.
According to the National Hurricane Center (NHC), Beryl hit the Texas coast at Matagorda at about 4 a.m. on Monday, July 8, as a category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 80 mph. As it moved inland, it became a tropical storm, bringing damaging wind, life-threatening storm surges and considerable flash flooding in urban areas from the coast to eastern Texas.
The National Weather Service (NWS) warns that hurricanes are among nature's most powerful and destructive phenomena. On average, 12 tropical storms, 6 of which become hurricanes, form over the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea, or Gulf of America during the hurricane season which runs from June 1 to November 30 each year.
National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) National Weather Service forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center expect above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year. NOAA’s outlook for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season predicts an 85% chance of an above-normal season.
NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 4 to 7 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5, with winds of 111 mph or higher). This is the largest number of storms ever predicted by the agency. In 2023, there were 20 named storms, the fourth-highest year since 1950.
The above-normal activity is due to several factors, including near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean, development of La Nina conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear, all of which tend to favor tropical storm formation.
John Nielsen-Gammon, Texas State Climatologist and director of the Southern Regional Climate Center at Texas A&M University, explains, “El Niño is when surface temperatures in a key patch of the tropical Pacific Ocean average at least 0.5 °C above normal for several consecutive months, and La Niña is when those temperatures average at least 0.5 °C below normal for several consecutive months.”
El Niño conditions have lingered for the last year. NOAA issued the last El Niño advisory in the middle of June and immediately issued a La Niña watch, which is expected to arrive later this summer. Historically, La Niña enhances hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin.
The weather pattern that exists between the occurrence of an El Niño or La Niña period is considered “neutral.” That doesn’t mean there are no hurricanes formed in neutral. The NWS reminds us that some of the most destructive hurricanes to hit the U.S. in recent decades were Katrina in 2005 and Andrew in 1992, both of which occurred in the neutral phase.
Hurricanes are not just a coastal problem. Impacts from wind and water can be felt hundreds of miles inland, and significant impacts can occur regardless of the storm’s strength.
Wind and water hazards could occur where you live. You may livein an area prone to flooding or you could live in an evacuation zone. Your home and property could be impacted by a storm surge, flooding from heavy rain, strong winds, tornadoes, and rip currents.
If you haven’t already planned for the possibilities of the current hurricane season, now is the time to get your home and family prepared by making potentially life-saving preparations before another storm hits.
The NWS offers safety tips for before, during and after a hurricane. These tips will help keep you prepared and informed about steps to take to safeguard your home and family.
What to do before the tropical storm or hurricane arrives
Anyone living in a flood-prone area is especially vulnerable to hurricane impacts. To find out the flood risk for your area and to plan accordingly, visit Floodsmart.gov: Understanding Flood Zones and NOAA’s Coastal Flood Exposure Mapper. Even if you don’t live in a flood zone, that doesn’t necessarily mean you’re safe - extreme rain from hurricanes can bring floods even to areas that aren’t prone to flooding.
Your home could be located in an evacuation zone. Knowing if you live in an evacuation zone can determine your vulnerability to storm surges and will be imperative when it comes time to develop an evacuation plan. To see evacuation routes, visit this site from the Texas Department of Transportation.
Knowing if your home is located in a storm surge evacuation zone will also affect your evacuation plan. To check your location, visit NHC Storm Surge Hazard Maps.
Build an emergency kit that you may need to survive on your own for several days. Make sure you have food, water and supplies to last for several days. Visit here for a list of basic disaster supplies to include in your emergency kit.
Since damaging wind can down trees that could affect power lines, be sure your mobile devices are charged along with any backup batteries.
Learn the difference between the NWS watches and warnings. Warnings, watches, advisories, and outlooks all mean something different when referring to storm surges, hurricanes and tropical storms. In general, a Watch means impacts are possible; a Warning means impacts are expected or happening. Different hazards and alerts require different responses:
- A Hurricane Watch means hurricane conditions are possible somewhere within the watch area, with tropical storm-force winds beginning within the next 48 hours. Prepare by boarding up windows, moving loose items indoors, and making sure your emergency kit is ready. A Hurricane Warning means hurricane conditions are expected somewhere within the warning area, with tropical-storm-force winds beginning within 36 hours. Seek shelter in a sturdy structure or evacuate if ordered.
- A Tropical Storm Watch means tropical storm conditions are possible within the next 48 hours, a Tropical Storm Warning means they are expected somewhere within the warning area. Remember, a tropical system does not have to reach hurricane strength to be deadly.
- A Storm Surge Watch means the possibility of life-threatening inundation generally within 48 hours, and a Storm Surge Warning means the danger of life-threatening inundation generally within 36 hours. In either case, please promptly follow evacuation and other instructions from local officials.
- An Extreme Wind Warning means extreme hurricane winds (115 mph+) are imminent or happening: take immediate shelter in an interior portion of a well-built structure.
- A Flash Flood Warning means dangerous flash flooding is expected: move to higher ground and never walk or drive through floodwater. A Flash Flood Emergency is issued for exceedingly rare situations when a severe threat to human life and catastrophic damage is happening or about to happen — do NOT attempt to travel unless you are under an evacuation order or your life is imminently at risk.
- A Flood Watch means flooding is possible: stay tuned to trusted news sources and be ready to seek higher ground. A Flood Warning means flooding is happening or about to happen: move to higher ground immediately.
- A Tornado Watch means a tornado is possible: know your safe place and be ready to act quickly if a Warning is issued. A Tornado Warning means a tornado is happening or about to happen - immediately seek shelter in your safe place!
Actions to take when a tropical storm or hurricane threatens
According to NWS, to secure your home, cover all of the windows with 5/8-inch exterior grade or marine plywood. Buy supplies before the hurricane season rather than waiting for the pre-storm rush.
Stay tuned to local news and storm information from the National Weather Service office and follow instructions issued by local officials. Find out what type of emergency could occur and how you should respond.
If you are ordered to leave, leave immediately. If you are not ordered to evacuate, take cover in a small interior room or closet on the lowest level. Stay away from windows and glass doors. If the eye of the storm passes over your area, there will be a short period of calm. After the eye passes, the wind speed will rapidly increase to hurricane-force winds coming from the opposite direction.
After a hurricane
Continue to listen to weather alerts from local news or NOAA Weather Radio for the latest updates.
If you evacuated, only return when authorities advise it is safe to do so. Avoid driving on flooded roads and watch out for washed-out bridges, fallen objects, downed power lines and weakened retaining walls.
Survey your home carefully and check for loose power lines, gas leaks and structural damage.
Stay out of buildings or structures that smell like gas and avoid using a generator inside your home or garage to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning.
Use battery-powered flashlights and turn them on before entering a vacated building. The battery could produce a spark that could ignite leaking gas, if present. Do not use candles.
Bottom line
The more you can do in advance of a hurricane or tropical storm, the better. And remember, hurricanes and tropical storms are not just for communities on the coast; they can and will also affect inland communities.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) has hurricane safety tips that can be found here. Additional NWS hurricane tips can be found here.