We are halfway through May, meaning that hurricane season looms ahead in just a couple of weeks. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is once again predicting an active storm season, with one model suggesting there could be as many as 22 named storms.
What activates these potentially deadly hurricane conditions? Forecasters place part of the blame on the climate shift from El Niño to La Niña during summer 2024.
What does that mean?
NOAA states that La Niña’s jet streams are laden with unpredictable weather patterns that worsens flooding in the Pacific Northwest and creates drought in the already hard-hit South, still scorched from the dearth of rain from summer 2023.
Or, to quote the late, great Jimmy Buffett, when La Niña blows our way, there are “squalls out on the Gulf Stream, big storm’s comin’ soon.”
Preparation is key now
It is better to be prepared for a hurricane that never arrives than to ignore one bearing down. The first thing to do is secure hurricane insurance that adequately protects your property. That might mean purchasing a special rider to your homeowner’s policy or it could involve getting an additional policy that protects flooding from wind-driven rain or storm surges.
You should also assemble a hurricane kit for you and your family members, with enough essentials for at least three days for everyone (including any pets).
The problem of insurance
Changes in the insurance industry, made in part due to an influx of damage claims in recent years, have made homeowners and storm coverage prohibitively expensive from the companies that agreed to still insure Louisiana homeowners.
Even when you pay these astronomical sums for coverage, some insurers still try to weasel out of paying legitimate claims for damages. Learning more about the changes to the law can help you prepare for hurricane season 2024.