Are you prepared for hurricane season? The Low Country is greatly impacted every year by these disastrous tropical cyclones. Hurricane season started on May 22nd this year and will conclude on November 30th. In the past South Carolina has been negatively impacted in the recent past by several hurricanes such as Matthew (Category 1), Irma (Category 3), and Dorian (Category 2). Although these storms were not the worst Charleston has seen, we must prepare for a 100 year storm like Hurricane Hugo that destroyed many parts of Charleston in 1989. As all our parents have reminded us, Hurricane Hugo devastated thousands of homes. It was a category 4 hurricane that had winds over 140 miles per hour. It killed 61 South Carolinians. To prepare for the next hurricane, THIS is what you can do before a hurricane hits:

1. Plan a good evacuation route.

• Look at local maps of your area and find the easiest route accessible to you that will bring you directly inland of the coast. You want to go on sustained and large roads because in the case of flooding, it will be nearly impossible to navigate small, flooded roads.  

      2 . Make a hurricane essentials box.

• Get a large plastic container and fill it with the following items: non perishable foods (canned foods especially), toiletries, matches, lots of water, battery-powered flashlights, extra batteries, a first aid kit, matches in a water-proof container, battery powered fan, knife, whistle, duct tape, necessary prescriptions, blankets, games to stay entertained, plastic bags, wrench or pliers, can opener, local maps, cell phone and charger/extra batteries.

3. Take an inventory of your property and move important items.

• It is a great idea to make a list of your most valuable possessions so that in case of a storm you will know what you lost. Then move these items to the driest and highest part of your house so that in the case of a flood they will hopefully stay undamaged. Some necessary items to move are: sentimental pictures, insurance documents, other financial documents, and any other prized possession you or your family may have.  

4. Make sure your cars, boats, house, and other valuable property is insured.

• Although I hope that none of us have to deal with any of this tedious paperwork as it is probably left up to your parents, it is important to note that this is a necessary part of the preparation process for hurricanes. 

5. Protect your home.

• Cover or brace windows by placing plywood on the outside of the windows and stapling them in place
• Place sandbags under doors and other entryways to your homes, this will keep stormwater out of your home.
• Prepare your yard by cutting down and removing dead tree limbs and move patio furniture and children’s toys into secure locations so that in case of a storm these items won’t fly and break windows or damage your property.
• Make sure your fire detector and carbon monoxide detectors work
• Take inventory of your valuables in case of burglary 
• Anchor boat trailers to the ground properly and other similar items                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                 6. Download weather apps and stay in tune with local news

• Having weather and flooding apps is very beneficial for storm preparedness, with a hurricane, knowledge is a great power. Also, watch the local and national news daily as they provide specific and important information regarding what is to come for forming storms.

Predictions for this hurricane season and what to expect for this year:

• NOAA scientists predict that this year there will be 13 to 20 named Atlantic storms of 39 miles per hour. 
• 6 to 10 of these storms will likely become hurricanes (winds of 74 miles per hour or higher)
• 3 to 5 of these hurricanes are predicted to become severe storms (category 3, 4, or 5 with winds of 114 miles per hour or higher)
• An average hurricane season consists of 14 named storms, 7 becoming hurricanes, and 3 of those being major hurricanes 
• Scientists predict that this year will be a 60% chance that this year will be an above-average season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-average season
• However, this year is predicted to not be as historically stormy as 2020.
• Following Ida, the next ten names of storms for this year are: Julian, Kate, Larry, Mindy, Nicholas, Odette, Peter, Rose, Sam, and Teresa.

I hope that this article gave you a little bit more insight on the severity of hurricanes, what to do to prepare, and what to expect for this year. Hopefully it isn’t your complete responsibility to worry about these things as I hope your parents have everything under control! However it never hurts to be prepared and be kind to everyone because you never know whose help you may need. Stay safe everybody.