I participated in the National Hurricane Conference and heard, first hand, the dire predictions for 2010. It seems there is a perfect storm of conditions brewing that will make life difficult for residents and businesses, mostly located along Atlantic shores.
But its not only the Atlantic coast hurricane experts that have looked into their crystal balls. Colorado State University hurricane forecasting team has predicted that the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season will produce an above-average eight hurricanes, four of them major.
I met with William Gray, nationally acclaimed meteorologist at Colorado State, who told me that the six-month season beginning on June 1 would likely see 15 named tropical storms. The average season might see 10 storms of which 6 might turn into hurricanes.
Risks are lower for the Gulf States, from the Florida Panhandle west to Brownsville, Texas, including the Gulf of Mexico oil patch: the probability of a major hurricane making landfall was seen at 44 percent.
"Normal Hurricane season indicators appear on target for an active season, however, La Nina (a cool water and weather atmospheric pattern vs. El Nino, a warm water tropical pattern) will aggravate the situation considerably." He told me. The 2009 season was the quietest since 1997 due in part to El Nino, which suppresses hurricane formations.
AccuWeather.com, is another forecasting source and is also suggesting that 2010 will be a potentially extreme season with five hurricanes, two or three of them major, expected to strike the U.S. coast, forming out of an expected 16 to 18 tropical storms.
When you Google "How to prepare for a hurricane" you get authoritative sources giving you lists of things to do. But, NO ONE provides the essential information you need to save your stuff! How important is your stuff? Consider losing the following:
- Ancestor's photos, important letters etc.
- Pictures from your child rearing years
- Certificate, diplomas etc
- Legal papers, insurance policies, appraisals
- Documentation that shows ownership
- Creative or intellectual property
- Family history/ genealogy
How difficult will it be emotionally, financially and logistically to loose these types of items? These items should definitely be on your list of things to prepare... and be given high priority.
Scott M. Haskins has worked in both Europe and the U.S. as a professional conservator for the last 33 years. He has years of experience planning for and responding after hurricanes, floods, mold, and is the author of "How to Save Your Stuff from a Disaster," (http://www.saveyourstuff.com) a non-technical book with instructions on how to protect and save important documents, photos and other items not covered by insurance. He works with the general public, historical societies, museums, small businesses, large corporations, private collectors, art galleries, state governments and the federal government. He wrote a pamphlet on "How To Protect Your Valuable Items From A Hurricane" which was distributed at the National Hurricane Conference and is available for free at http://www.freehurricaneinfo.org
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