Last weekend, I noticed multiple social media posts about a major storm brewing, heading toward the East Coast. According to the National Hurricane Center, that storm has now become Tropical Storm Lee. While it’s too early to tell whether it will track west and slam into the coastal region, my storm radar is on high alert. I grew up on an island. My home was a few miles from the ocean. At first warning, we prepared for wind, rain, rip currents, storm surges, and all the damage a deadly hurricane could dump on our community.
As climate change makes hurricanes more frequent, and more intense, we’ve created an important fact sheet about hurricanes and your health. Learn about the indirect impacts, the long-lasting effects, how displacement affects communities, who is most vulnerable, and what you can do to stay safe and reduce further climate warming HERE.
The Atlantic hurricane season extends from June 1 to November 30. How frequent and intense is this hurricane season predicted to be?
With water temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean reaching hot tub levels of more than 100 degrees in parts of the Southeast, NOAA recently noted the likelihood of an above normal level of dangerous hurricane activity was predicted.
During an average season, 6 or 7 hurricanes form in the Atlantic Ocean, and approximately 2 hurricanes make landfall on the East Coast of the US yearly. By the end of August 2023, 11 storms had already formed, and it’s now forecasted that 14 to 21 will form, with 2 to 5 turning into major hurricanes with winds above 111 miles per hour.
These are the names of the 2023 Atlantic Ocean tropical storm season: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.
Let’s hope we don’t run out of names…
TELL EPA: PROTECT OUR FAMILIES FROM HARMFUL OIL AND GAS POLLUTION