The Atlantic hurricane season begins on June 1 and runs until November 30. The Atlantic Hurricane season in 2020 was extremely active with a record-breaking 30 named storms and 12 making landfall on the United States. For the second time in record-keeping history, the Greek alphabet had to be used for naming storms.
What can we expect to happen this hurricane season and how can we prepare? Forecasters at Colorado State University’s Department of Atmospheric Sciences have released the forecast for the 2021 Atlantic Hurricane Season calling for 17 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes. This year is predicted to be a very active hurricane season.
Now is the time to plan and prepare for the likelihood of hurricanes in the Lowcountry. Because the hospitality industry hasn’t fully returned to pre-pandemic capacities, planning for evacuations becomes more challenging. Hotels with limited capacities will fill up faster.
Tidelines will again provide a series of articles outlining things you can do to be prepared for a weather emergency. The first two articles will provide checklists of preparations to perform early in the summer and then in mid-summer. The first will appear in early June and the other in late July. The third article will provide a checklist of actions to take as a storm approaches and will be published if and when needed. The fourth article will address the steps to take for evacuation and sheltering when deemed appropriate and will be published if and when needed. Our entire Hurricane Hints 2021 can be accessed at any time on the Tidelines website. Look for the dropdown menu. This dropdown also includes a comprehensive listing of resources pertinent to hurricanes.
Last, please keep in mind that the Tidelines staff, all volunteers, will make every effort to keep our followers informed of the status of storms, evacuation procedures, and recovery efforts during such an event assuming we have Internet capability. Please also check the Town of Seabrook Island’s website and watch for SIPOA’s e-blasts. In addition, both the Charleston County Emergency Management Department and the South Carolina Emergency Management Division (SCEMD) Hurricane Guide contain a wealth of information on hurricanes.
Remember, be prepared; stay safe.
–Tidelines Editors