Hurricane season begins this month: TPG’s hurricane survival guide for travelers

In spite of summer Technically it doesn’t start until the end of this month, storm season officially begins on Saturday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts this year’s hurricane season will be “above normal.”

A minor storm can wreak havoc on your vacation plans, so let’s talk about when a storm might get in your way and how to protect your scheduled trips.

Outlook for the 2024 storm season

Forecasters at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center predicted an 85% chance of an above-normal hurricane season over the Atlantic, a 10% chance of an above-normal hurricane season, and a 5% chance of an above-normal hurricane season. the likelihood of a below-normal hurricane season. Projections for 2024 are much less optimistic than for 2023, when the same scientists predict a 40 percent chance of a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season.

in 2023NOAA reports 17 named tropical storms and 18 hurricanes across the Atlantic, Eastern Pacific and Central Pacific.

This year’s report of tropical activity is largely due to La Nina and warmer-than-average ocean temperatures.

In their report, meteorologists said they expect a total of 17 to 25 named storms, up from 12 to 17 named storms total. A storm must have winds of 39 miles per hour or more to be worthy of a name. Of those storms, 8 to 13 could become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher; This includes four to seven major storms that could develop into Category 3, Category 4 or Category 5 hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or more.

NOAA gave its prediction with a 70% confidence rate, the same rate as last year.

“The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity due to a combination of factors, including near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic, the development of La Nina in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear.” , all of which tend to create favorable conditions for tropical storm formation,” NOAA said in its press release.

When is hurricane season?

Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30, although storms are possible outside of those dates.

Hurricanes can also occur in the Pacific and East Pacific storm season word span May 15 to November 30. Storms in this area affect travel Mexican Rivierasuch as Los CabosMazatlan, Puerto VallartaAcapulco and Ixtapa.

Storms can also attack Hawaiitypically from June to late November, with storms most likely from July to September.

Storms called cyclones also occur in the Southern Hemisphere. Peak storm season in Australia And New Zealand are March and April.

Is my vacation destination safe from the storm?

Atlantic hurricanes usually start in Caribbean regionPower supply through Bahamas and then hit states in the US, incl Florida, Louisiana, Alabama And Texas.

The storm has affected northern destinations such as North Carolina, New York, New shirt and even Canada.

Hurricanes are often stronger in the Eastern Caribbean. Peak hurricane season in this region is from mid-August to September, while the Western Caribbean tends to experience more hurricanes from mid-September to early November.

Cruise itinerary can also be affected by hurricane season.

Storm jargon

Monitor the weather if you plan to vacation in a hurricane area during hurricane season.

When you look at the weather forecast, analyze the information through the following lenses:

• Tropical depression: A weather phenomenon with sustained surface wind speeds of 38 miles per hour or less
• Tropical storm: A hurricane with winds ranging from 39 to 73 miles per hour
• Storm: A hurricane has sustained surface winds of 74 miles per hour or more
• Storm warning: Sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher are possible in the designated area
• Storm warning: Sustained winds of 64 knots (74 mph) or higher are expected in the designated area
• Hurricane: Storm level 3 or higher

For more, see the National Hurricane Center Glossary of storm-related terms.

Trip insurance

If you book travel to a destination during hurricane season, Consider your protection options. You can pay for it third party travel insurance, based on credit card protection or self-insure if you decide that the cost of the trip is low enough to lose the money you paid.

Remember that most travel insurance policy Cancellation coverage is not available if you cancel before your trip because the weather forecast looks bleak. In most cases, the storm needs to be named and you will have to purchase insurance before the storm reaches named status.

If you’re worried bad weather will ruin your trip, buy one add-ons cancel for any reason for your insurance policy. Although this can be expensive, it may be suitable for your situation. You can compare trip insurance prices with and without add-ons at portals like InsuranceMyTrip And square mouth.

Bottom line

“As one of the strongest El Ninos ever observed comes to a close, NOAA scientists predict a rapid transition to La Nina conditions, which is beneficial for storm activity,” NOAA said. Atlantic Ocean because La Nina tends to reduce wind shear in the tropics.” “At the same time, abundant ocean heat content in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Sea generates more energy to drive hurricane development.”

This means we expect the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season to be more active than in recent years.

According to NOAA, “Human-caused climate change is warming our oceans globally and in the Atlantic basin, while also melting ice on land, leading to rising sea levels, causing increased risk of storm surges”. “Sea level rise represents a clear human influence on the potential for damage from a given storm.”

NOAA will update Outlook for 2024 in August when hurricane season peaks.

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