Hurricanes

Hurricanes

Every year, from June 1st until November 30th, storm trackers, meteorologists and communities along the coastal regions of the Atlantic, Caribbean, Central Pacific and Gulf of Mexico prepare for hurricane season. The hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific basin varies slightly, running from May 15th until November 30th. While there have occasionally been instances with storms forming as early as May and as late as December, these occurrences are rare. On average, there are somewhere between nine and ten of named storms, either depressions or tropical storms, in any given season. Yet, the average number of hurricanes that form is between five and six storms, two or three of these generally become major hurricanes that showcase tremendous impact along the coastal seaboard.

Hurricanes usually threaten several areas and can form almost anywhere within the Tropical Atlantic Basin from the West Coast of Africa near the Cape Verde Islands, to the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. These areas are considered to be prime locations because the development of tropical storms and depressions occur more often in these locales, with relation to the time of year and necessary environmental conditions. Some of the most common areas hurricanes tend to develop in the Atlantic Basin include the Gulf of Mexico, the Western Caribbean and the Cape Verde Islands. The Gulf of Mexico proves an extremely favorable region for hurricane development because of the warm water temperatures throughout the hurricane season, ranging from 85 degrees Fahrenheit to 90 degrees Fahrenheit. Storms occurring in this region typically move in to the Gulf Coast states, from Texas to Florida. Unlike the Eastern and Central Caribbean, areas not as advantageous for hurricanes because of hostile, upper level winds, the Western Caribbean offers very favorable upper winds and is considered a "hot spot" for storm development throughout the season. Storms developing from this area generally move into the Gulf Coast or along the East Coast. Many consider the Cape Verde Islands the "granddaddy of hurricane hot spots" as it proves the most widespread area for hurricane development. This proves especially true in August, when the water temperatures warm up enough to provide perfect conditions for tropical storm formations. Hurricanes from this region tend to move westward toward the Caribbean and Eastern Coast of America.

Damages from hurricanes result from a number of different aspects of the storm such as the rain, ferocious winds and tornadoes. Hurricanes bring with them large amounts of rain. Huge hurricanes can end up diving out several inches of rain in just one or two days - much of it inland. The increase of rain inland can overflow streams and rivers, and resultantly create flooding that devastates a large area around the hurricane's center. Hurricane Floyd, which hit a number of small towns and communities along North Carolina's coastal region, caused massive flooding throughout the area. Many of the region's creeks and brooks were already swelled from Hurricane Dennis just weeks earlier, and Floyd's onset of flooding created immense overflow around the state. Hurricanes also produce high sustained winds that more often than not cause extreme structural damage to the surrounding towns and communities. Along with devastating buildings, these high winds can also roll over cars and trucks, blow over trees and can be blamed for a large part of the beach erosion. The winds add to the erosion through blowing sand as well as blowing large waves into the beach. The storms dominant winds also create one of the most devastating aspects of a storm, storm surge. The surge is when huge, strong ocean waves hit the shore because of the strength of winds. Ocean front property is particularly susceptible to such surges. In the unfortunate occurrence that a storm surge collides with high tide, inland flooding and beach erosion can reach devastating levels. Tornadoes are also a side effect of hurricanes, often spawning from high winds. These smaller, more concentrated cyclones cause additional damage. The degree of damage resulting from a hurricane depends on a number of things: whether the storm simply grazes the coastline or comes ashore straight-on, whether the area in question has been hit by the right or left side of the storm and the overall category of the hurricane. Areas affected by the right side of a hurricane sustain more damage because the speed of the wind and speed of motion work in sync and flatter one another. On the left side of a storm, the speed of motion takes away from the wind speed. The combined forces of a hurricane can cause tremendous damage to far reaching cities and can level a coastal area. North Carolina's 1996 storm, Hurricane Fran, hit as far inland as 150 miles to the state's capital of Raleigh, NC. The overall damage measured in billions of dollars as millions of tree fell, electricity was out for weeks in certain areas and the number of homes damaged or completely leveled ran in the tens of thousands.

According to the National Hurricane Center, the word hurricane comes from colonial Spanish and Caribbean Indians god "Hurican" and the Mayan storm god "Hunraken." The word originates from the indigenous religions of these old civilizations, who believed that the god Hurican would bring with him evil sprits and big winds. Storms that impact the Southern Hemisphere are referred to as cyclones while pacific tropical cyclones that form west of the international dateline and north of the Equator are termed typhoons. In the Northern Hemisphere, tropical cyclones formed east of the international dateline to the Greenwich Meridian are called hurricanes. Yet, it often proves that it is not what they are called, but what they do that impacts the world around us.

Hurricanes are tropical storms. By definition they are generated in tropical areas of the ocean, near the Equator. In order for a tropical storm to be called a hurricane, there must be constant winds of 74 miles per hour or faster blowing in a counter-clockwise path that rotates around a center coupled with heavy rain fall. By definition, hurricanes are tropical storms that bring along high velocity winds and water. Meteorologists use the term tropical cyclone as a generic word for low pressure systems that develop in the tropics. These systems have the potential to develop into tropical depressions, tropical storms and then if they maintain their strength and pick up speed, they might develop into hurricanes. For a storm to be called a tropical depression it must have maximum sustained surface winds of less than 39 miles per hour (17 meters per second). When a tropical depression's sustained surface winds are equal or faster than 39 miles per hour, it is classified as a tropical storm and generally assigned a name. If the tropical storm's surface winds reach 74 miles per hour then it earns the name hurricane. Hurricanes are cyclonic and therefore the winds of the storm revolve around a central eye. It is important to note the characteristics of hurricanes. The wind direction of these tropical storms must spin counterclockwise and this is from east to west in the Southern Hemisphere and from west to east in the Northern Hemisphere. Other traits include the systems of low pressure that accompany hurricanes. The eye, or center, of the storm is always an area of low pressure. In fact, the lowest barometric pressures meteorologist ever recorded have occurred inside hurricanes.

Earth's atmosphere provides the perfect arena for hurricanes for several reasons. The sun does not equally heat Earth's surface. The sphere-shaped planet sits at an angle of 23 1/3 degrees to the sun's plane and its varied surface ranges from water to rock formations and dark soils. Our weather patterns constantly balance out the globe's temperature and moisture. While they start out as clusters of showers surrounding an area of low pressure, hurricanes basically transport excess heat and moisture from the tropical areas to the poles. When coupled with high pressure and light winds in the upper atmosphere as well as warm water temperatures (80 F or higher), these clusters of thunderstorms and showers can quickly grow into immense storms. Hurricanes form in these regions of the tropics where higher humidity (moist air levels), warm waters and converging equatorial winds constantly meet; it's the perfect breeding grounds for these storms. Many believe that the majority of hurricanes begin in the area off the west coast of Africa. Hurricanes have to form over large stretches of warm open water and that section off the African coast truly fosters the storms. In this area, the ocean surface temperatures often get above 80 degrees Fahrenheit and thunderstorms frequently are found gathering around low areas of pressure.

Hurricanes can take anywhere from a couple of hours to several days to form. Throughout the process of development, three events must happen for a thunderstorm to evolve into a hurricane: A difference in the air pressure between the ocean's surface and the higher altitude; An ongoing cycle of evaporation and condensation from warm, moisture-laden ocean air; Colliding air currents of winds at the surface with high-speed winds at higher altitudes. The progression of a hurricane developing begins with warm and humid ocean air rising rapidly from the sea's surface. As the air rises, the water vapor condenses and storm clouds begin to form. The rising condensation releases heat into the atmosphere. The latent heat released from the condensation begins to warm the cool air on the surface, thus causing it to rise. The rising air is replaced by more warm and moist air from the ocean below, thus creating a cyclical process of drawing moist air into the storm (in effect growing the storm) and moving heat from the ocean surface to the atmosphere. The heat exchange from the surface to the upper atmosphere causes a wind pattern to circulate around a center - the circular motion resembles that of water going down a drain. Winds moving in multiple directions converge into each other at the surface and help to push the hot and humid air upward - reinforcing the cyclical creation of heat; both the circulation and wind speeds of the brewing storm increases from these conditions. If up to this point the environment fosters this activity and development, one more thing must occur to produce a hurricane. Strong winds blowing at constant speeds in areas of high altitudes will remove the heat rising from the center of the storm, it maintains the movement of heat and allows the storm to continue in formation (note that if these winds do not blow at the same speed on all levels then the storm "falls apart" and weakens). If high pressure air in the upper atmosphere is present to remove the heat that's rising into the Earth's atmosphere the storm will grow and wind speeds will increase.

The portion of the year having a relatively large occurrence of hurricanes is due, in part, from the warmth of the weather. These conditions increase throughout the months of June and July and persist into November. Yet, September often provides us with the most hurricanes as the majority of storms form between mid-August and Mid-September. The frequency of these storms varies as they shift locations, generally they appear from the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico in June and July, move to the Atlantic Ocean throughout August and September and then for the months of October and November the storms move back to the Caribbean and the Gulf Coast.

Once a hurricane forms, there are three major parts of the storm. The section called the eye (because when looking down at hurricanes it looks like an eye) is the low pressure area in the center of the storm and is the calm area of circulation. The eye wall is the area round the center and has the fastest winds. The rain bands are the groups of thunderstorms that revolve outward from the eye. As discussed earlier, they play a major role in the cycle of heat (evaporation and condensation) to help sustain and grow the hurricane. Not all hurricanes are uniform in size, while some have only a few trailing bands of rain and wind, others are much less compact and have wide-spread rain bands that reach over thousands of miles. Hurricane Floyd is an example of a loose hurricane, with damage that spread from the Caribbean islands to New England.

As far as physical size, hurricanes vary tremendously. As discussed previously, some hurricanes evolve into compact storms with few trailing bands while others become looser storms with wide spread bands impacting areas and regions miles and miles from the coastline. We often hear of a storm discussed in terms of categories, i.e. the 1996 storm, Hurricane Fran, was considered a category three hurricane. Meteorologists use the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale to explain the ratings given to each hurricane. Herbert Saffir, a civil engineer, and Bob Simpson, at that time the director of the U.S. National Hurricane Center, developed the scale in 1969. The initial scale was developed by Kelly Jean Davis while performing a study of low-cost housing in areas prone to hurricanes. Saffir recognized that there wasn't any scale to describe the possible effects of a hurricane. Using his knowledge of the Richter magnitude scale, used to describe earthquakes, Saffir devised a scale based on wind speed that ranged from one to five and showed the expected damage to the area hit. After collaborating with the National Hurricane Center, Simpson added in calculations for flooding and storm surge. Note however, that the Saffir-Simpson scale does not take into account the amount of rainfall or the location of where the storm makes landfall, therefore a lower category storm would impact a densely populated city differently than a more rural area.

It is not necessarily true that the higher a hurricane ranks on the Saffir-Simpson scale the more damage an area will expect, but it certainly does relate to the intensity of the storm when it makes landfall. Hurricane Hazel, a 1954 storm that swept inland over Brunswick County, became the benchmark storm for an entire generation of Carolinians. It has been, to date, the only category four hurricane along North Carolina's coastline to make landfall with in the twentieth century. With 140 mph winds and tremendous storm surge of 17 feet it holds a storied account in the state's history. Hurricane Hazel was responsible for the deaths of 19 North Carolina residents, but in fact a category two hurricane will be remembered as North Carolina's worst hurricane. Hurricane Floyd, considered a strong category two storm with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, brought tremendous winds and tides as well as profuse rainfall. The immense flooding from the storm created a disaster to the extreme that North Carolina's coastline has never before seen. The death toll amassed to 24 North Carolina residents and Floyd has become the worst hurricane to hit the Tar Heel state, with total dollar losses reaching up into the billions of dollars. The Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale categorizes hurricanes from a rating of one to five based on the hurricane's current intensity. Weather analyzers use this data to estimate the amount of possible property damage and flooding that the hurricane could bring about when it makes landfall. Wind speed proves the determining factor in the scale that causes storms to be bumped up in rating. Below you'll find the Saffir-Simpson scale and can see that the storm surge values are dependent upon the shape of the coastline as well as the slope of the continental shelf.

Category One Hurricane:
The wind speed of category one hurricanes range from 74 mph to 94 mph (119-153 km/hr). The expected storm surge along the coastline is 4 to 5 feet above normal. Storms of this magnitude generally don't cause any real damage to buildings or structures. However, these storms can blow over mobile homes that aren't anchored, as well as uproot some shrubbery and/or trees. Some damage can occur to signs as well as poorly attached shingles. There might also be minor damage to any piers and flooding along the coastal roads. Hurricane Gaston, 2004, was a category one hurricane that made landfall along South Carolina's coastline and Hurricane Humberto, 2007, was a category one storm that struck Texas.

Category Two Hurricane:
The wind speed of category two hurricanes range from 96 mph to 110 mph (154-177 km/hr). The expected storm surge along the coastline is 6 to 8 feet above normal. Storms of this magnitude generally cause some structural damage, including damages to roof tiles and shingles as well as doors and non-barricaded windows. Category two storms generally cause considerable damage to vegetation and trees, piers and poorly constructed signs. Mobile homes, anchored or not, are often damaged and general manufactured homes can also often be damaged. Escape routes for low lying and coastal areas generally flood 2 - 4 hours before the center of the storm makes landfall. Hurricane Floyd, 1999, was a category two hurricane that made landfall along Brunswick County's Coast and Hurricane Frances, 2004, was a category two storm that made landfall over Florida.

Category Three Hurricane:
The wind speed of category three hurricanes range from 111 mph to 130 mph (178-209 km/hr). The expected storm surge along the coastline is 9 to 12 feet above normal. Storms of this magnitude generally cause structural damage to small residences and buildings, with curtainwall failures. Shrubbery and vegetation sees considerable damage with large trees being blown down and twigs, leaves and other foliage are blown off. Poorly constructed signs and mobile homes are destroyed. Escape routes for low lying and coastal areas are generally flooded 3 - 5 hours before the center of the storm makes landfall. The flooding causes tremendous damage to structures, completely destroying small ones. Additionally, terrain lower than five feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland (8 miles or more). Evacuation might be required. Hurricane Ivan, 2004, was a category three hurricane that made landfall in Alabama and Hurricane Fran, 1996, was a category three storm that made landfall near Wilmington, North Carolina.

Category Four Hurricane:
The wind speed of category four hurricanes range from 131 mph to 155 mph (210-249 km/hr). The expected storm surge along the coastline is 13 to 18 feet above normal. Storms of this magnitude generally cause extensive curtainwall failures as well as total roof-structure failures on small structures. Both mobile and manufactured homes are leveled and extensive damage occurs to many doors and windows. Overhang structures such as gas station canopies are generally destroyed while trees, shrubberies and all signs are blown down. Escape routes for low lying and coastal areas are generally flooded 3 - 5 hours before the center of the storm makes landfall. The flooding causes tremendous damage to structures, no matter the size. Additionally, terrain lower than ten feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland (8 miles or more). Evacuation might be required for residential neighborhoods as far inland as 6 miles. Hurricane Charley, 2004, was a category four hurricane making landfall over Florida and Hurricane Hazel, 1954, was a category four storm that made landfall in Haiti; Wilmington, North Carolina and Ontario, Canada and taking the lives of nearly 1,100 people.

Category Five Hurricane:
The highest category a hurricane can obtain on the scale, the wind speed of category five hurricanes is greater than 155 mph (249 km/hr) and the expected storm surge along the coastline is typically greater than 18 feet above normal. Storms of this magnitude generally cause total destruction of manufactured and mobile homes, as well as complete roof failure on a majority of industrial and residential structures. Small utility buildings are generally blown over and all shrubbery, trees and signs are blown down. Escape routes for low lying and coastal areas are generally flooded 3 - 5 hours before the center of the storm makes landfall. The flooding causes tremendous damage to structures, no matter the size. Additionally, terrain less than fifteen feet above mean sea level may be flooded inland (8 miles or more). Evacuation might be required for residential neighborhoods as far inland as 5 - 10 miles. Since records of hurricanes began, there have only been three category five storms to make landfall along the United State's coast: the Labor Day Hurricane, 1935; Hurricane Camille, 1969; Hurricane Andrew, 1992. The Labor Day Hurricane made landfall over the Florida Keys. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf and caused a 25 ft. storm surge along the coastline. Hurricane Andrew hit the Bahamas, South Florida and Louisiana, causing 65 deaths. Note, there have been other storms rated as a category five, such as Hurricane Katrina in 2005, but only three have been rated a five when they made landfall. (Katrina struck the U.S. Gulf Coast as a category 3 hurricane.)

Not long ago, meteorologist could ascertain very little about when and where a hurricane would strike. Thousands of people died from storms like the Galveston, Texas storm of 1900 because scientists were unable to foresee the enormous storm surge. It wasn't until the development of satellite technology in the 1960's that hurricane forecasting became accurate. The technology today offers forecasters sophisticated weather conscious equipment to much more accurately predict these weather patterns and formation of the storms. When tracking a hurricane, meteorologist and hunters always keep in mind what is known as the Coriolis Effect, the motions in which hurricanes rotates. In the Northern Hemisphere, hurricanes rotate in a counter-clockwise direction (west to east) and move along the ocean in a clockwise direction (east to west). It is the opposite in the Southern Hemisphere, where these tropical cyclones rotate in a clockwise direction (east to west) and move along the ocean in a counter-clockwise rotation (west to east). The Earth's rotation provides the cause for these motions known as the Coriolis Effect. Storm trackers and meteorologist rely upon remote sensing by satellites to monitor and track a hurricane's development. The satellites provide a much broader view of the area than available by air crafts or on the ground. The trackers can see geospatial information that covers the affected states and allows them to make better assessments of the potential damage. The weather satellites use special sensors to gather information, gathering visible data (clouds and circulation patterns), Radar and Doppler Radar (precipitation amounts, wind speeds, rain) and Infrared (cloud heights, temperature differences). Coupled with high-speed computers and sophisticated tracking software, these satellites help meteorologist create computer models of storms. These models aid in predicting a tropical cyclone's tracks, based on the strength of high and low pressure systems and on future position of the storm. Together with the increased knowledge of the different forces that take effect on hurricanes forecasters have tremendously increased the accuracy of these calculations. Yet, our prediction abilities still fall short when forecasting the intensity of these storms and scientists blame the complexity of these systems and a lack of understanding of the factors that affect the storms for their shortcomings.

The idea of storm chasing was brought to the big screen in the widely popular 1996 film Twister, in which a group of storm chasers raced across the United States, heading into cyclones to gather meteorological data. Real life storm chasers, known as the Hurricane Hunters, have been heading into tropical cyclones for more than 60 years. The U.S. Department of Defense created this group in 1994 and still to date is the only organization to fly directly into hurricanes and tropical cyclones. The Hunters are selective members of the 53rd Weather Reconnaissance Squadron 403rd Wing and are based out of Keesler Air Force Base in Biloxi, Mississippi. Hurricane Hunters are responsible for gathering data and information about barometric pressures, wind speeds and rainfall within a tropical cyclone. They then relay the information back to the U.S. National Hurricane Center, located in Miami, Florida. Scientists use this data to predict the intensity and movement of a storm, using a variety of weather models. From here, they issue hurricane watches and warnings to areas that are situated in the hurricane's path. This network of trackers helps to reduce the death toll of a hurricane through tracking, early detection and warnings. The Hurricane Hunters have relied upon the C-130 Hercules, a sturdy turboprop plane, since 1965. They also use the WC-130, the cargo version of the Hercules in which the only difference between the planes are the sophisticated weather sensing equipment installed on the WC-130. These are just a couple of the planes used by the team to collect statistics inside a storm. On any given day The Hurricane Hunters are able to track a maximum of five tropical cyclones anywhere from Hawaii to the mid-Atlantic Ocean.

On average, nearly seven hurricanes strike the United States every four years. Two hurricanes classified as a category three or higher hit the coast every three years. Anyone who lives within striking distance, near coastal areas and especially along the United States eastern and southern coastline should be sure to understand weather alerts. The National Hurricane Center (NHC) assesses that more than 50 million Americans are at risk of being in the path of the storm each hurricane season. Forecasters work in tandem with the NHC and groups like the Hurricane Hunters to quickly assess and disperse safety alerts to all those in the storms path. There are four major alerts everyone in a high risk area should know and understand. It's important to listen to for tropical weather updates and know what to do when one is issued for your area.

Meteorologists issue a tropical storm watch when conditions such as sustained winds ranging from 39 mph to 73 mph are possible in your area within the next 36 hours. Generally they do not issue a tropical storm watch if the tropical cyclone in question is predicted to grow to hurricane strength. A tropical storm warming simply means that these storm conditions are expected within 24 hours. When either a tropical storm watch or warning is issues, be sure to keep listening for weather updates in the event that the storms develop into hurricanes.

Meteorologists issue a hurricane watch when conditions such as winds greater than 74 mph are possible in your area within the next 36 hours. They issue a hurricane warning when these sustained surface winds are expected in your area within the next 24 hours. This warning can stay in effect even when winds may be less than hurricane strength when very high waves and perilously high water continue. It's also important for those living near the coastal regions of the United States to be aware of coastal flood watch and warning alerts, which warn residents of the possibility of flooding.

Below we've included a list of things to do in case of a hurricane watch and a hurricane warning:

• Always listen to NOAA Weather Radio or local radio or TV stations for up-to-date storm information.
• Prepare to bring inside any lawn furniture, outdoor decorations or ornaments, trash cans, hanging plants, and anything else that can be picked up by the wind.
• Prepare to cover all windows of your home. If shutters have not been installed, use precut plywood as described above. Note: Tape does not prevent windows from breaking, so taping windows is not recommended.
• Fill your car's gas tank.
• Recheck manufactured home tie-downs.
• Check batteries and stock up on canned food, first aid supplies, drinking water, and medications.

• Listen to the advice of local officials, and leave if they tell you to do so.
• Complete preparation activities listed above, i.e. cover all your windows, bring inside any loose articles like lawn furniture and trash cans that could be carried away by wind or water.
• If you are not advised to evacuate, stay indoors, away from windows.
• Be aware that the calm "eye" is deceptive; the storm is not over. The worst part of the storm will happen once the eye passes over and the winds blow from the opposite direction. Trees, shrubs, buildings, and other objects damaged by the first winds can be broken or destroyed by the second winds.
• Be alert for tornadoes. Tornadoes can happen during a hurricane and after it passes over. Remain indoors, in the center of your home, in a closet or bathroom without windows.
• Stay away from flood waters. If you come upon a flooded road, turn around and go another way. If you are caught on a flooded road and waters are rising rapidly around you, get out of the car and climb to higher ground.

It's always prudent to have a disaster supply kit in case any major disaster should occur in your area. A first aid kit and any essential medications you require should be included as well as a battery powered radio, flashlight and extra batteries. Be sure to also store away at least three gallons of water per family member, canned food and a can opener, sleeping bags, a map, raingear, protective clothing and any special items for disabled, elderly or infants. Be sure to grab important documents, including your driver's license, Social Security card, insurance policies and a utility bill (* a utility bill is the only universally accepted proof-of-residence throughout the United States), wills and deeds, birth and marriage certificates as well as tax records and any other important documents. Even if you're evacuating for a storm, bring this supply kit and you'll ensure yourself piece of mind in any situation.

Initially, any storm that reached the level of a tropical storm was given a name to reduce any confusion when multiple systems occurred in any region or area at the same time. This was to help in warning people at risk of the approaching storm. A list of names is decided upon, depending upon the regions by committees of the World Meterological Organization (WMO) and by the national weather offices that are involved in forecasting the storms. An interesting fact, hurricanes that developed in the West Indies were named, for several hundred years, for the certain saint's day the hurricane occurred. Hurricane San Felipe hit Puerto Rico on September 13th, 1876. When another storm struck the area the same day 52 years later, the storm was named Hurricane San Felipe the Second. It's also important to note that until World War II, you'll only find masculine names for storms in history. It wasn't until the early 1950's that the WMO and other national weather offices began the tradition of naming storms alphabetically - but then they named then with only female names. In the 1970's, they began alternating naming storms with feminine and masculine names. So the very first tropical cyclone of the season is given a name starting with the letter A, the second will start with the letter B and so forth. When asked about modern hurricane names having an international flavor, the NOAA said the name lists do this because these storms are tracked by many countries weather services as they often affect other nations. For storms developed in the Atlantic Ocean, WMO committees assign a different set of names than those developed in the Pacific Ocean. For example, in 2001 the first hurricane of the season matured in the Pacific Ocean near Mexico and was named Adolf. Conversely, that year the first storm in the Atlantic Ocean was named Allison. Check out the list of Hurricane Names through 2013. Names for storms that are particularly destructive are "retired." This occurs when the hurricane has tremendously impacted the region. By retiring the name, the WMO agrees not to reuse the name for at least 10 years in order to avoid confusion and assist historical references and legal actions such as insurance claims.

Hurricanes have always held an important role in life on Earth and all efforts to repress these storms have failed. For those who live in areas at risk to be impacted by hurricanes, simply be prepared to heed the warnings of scientists and forecasters.

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