Extended Hurricane Season Could Last Into Holidays
Who has a Turkey Day hurricane on their 2024 disaster bingo card? While the stormy Atlantic winds typically subside by early October, forecasters say the worst could still be in an extended hurricane season. The unusually active 2024 hurricane season didn’t come as a surprise to most forecasters. Advanced weathering modeling and warmer oceanic waters portended an elongated storm season earlier this spring. Despite a late-summer lull in storm activity, the Gulf of Mexico roared to life in late September. Two major hurricanes slammed Florida’s Gulf Coast in a two-week span, including Tropical Storm Helene that veered into the Appalachian Mountains, bringing unprecedented flash flooding to Asheville. Traditionally unattuned and otherwise unbothered by long-term forecasting, storm-wearing residents from the Carolinas to Florida are now paying particular attention to the slightest development in the Gulf.
What’s Causing the Extended Hurricane Season?
While climatologists have been sounding the warming planet alarms for the past two decades, few have taken notice until recently. And even then, most climate deniers continue to incredulously question the empirical data, instead relying more on superstitions and conspiracy theories. Why is it so hard for people to believe the truth about Climate Change? Unfortunately, science has become another casualty in the war against misinformation. Despite ardent pleas from forecasters, humans cannot accept their role in Climate Change, which doesn’t portend well for corrective measures, such as carbon reduction through personal sacrifice. In addition to a warming planet and prevailing oceanic conditions, a menacing La Nina pattern is fueling the Atlantic’s gauntlet of hurricanes. The Gulf of Mexico is the new devil’s playground for hurricanes, who are becoming supercharged by warm waters of the Yucatan. Strange swirling oscillations from an unstable gulf stream are also fueling powerful storms.
On the Horizon….
Despite a brief storm reprieve, gulf residents have begun to eye the anticipated formation of Tropical Storm Patty. The National Hurricane Center now says the storm has a 50 percent chance of forming within the next few days. Northerly wind sheers have stymied the nascent storm’s development into a tropical depression, but emerging conditions should remove impediments to Oscar’s formation. Although it’s too early to unfurl the trajectory spaghetti models, meteorologists can rely on past storms for details of where Patty is headed. Depending on the timing of dissipating wind shearing, Patty could cross over either Cuba or Central America. Patty could also sneak into the gulf before following in the steps of Helene or Milton.
Steel Protection for Every Scenario
No one can predict Mother Nature. Although advances in meteorology have improved long-term forecasting, Climate Change will increase the frequency of weather anomalies, such as monstrous hurricanes and powerful flooding. No one can control the weather. Nature’s harmonious equilibrium has been permanently skewed by human pollution. Storms of the future will become worse than previous seasons. While embracing these cold, hard facts is demoralizing, we can take proactive individual measures to ensure our families’ safety. Our panelized safe room and above-ground shelters can protect what matters most, regardless of how or where the wind shall blow. Although structurally unique in application, solid steel sheeting paneling and welds embolden each safe room. With advanced metallurgy driving home steel protection, each hurricane shelter can withstand 250-mile-per-hour wind gusts and fallen debris. Don’t ignore science or your intuition. Protect your family today with Elephant Safe Rooms.