NOAA FORECASTERS SAY SIX TO NINE
HURRICANES COULD THREATEN IN 2003
James R. Mahoney, assistant secretary of commerce for oceans and atmosphere and deputy NOAA administrator said, “This year the Atlantic hurricane outlook calls for a 55 percent chance of an above normal season, a 35 percent chance of near normal, and only a 10 percent chance for a below-normal season such as last year.”
In his proclamation, President Bush encourages families along coastlines to take steps today that can save lives and minimize property damage through planning and preparation. (Click NOAA image for larger view of major hurricanes forming in main development region during inactive decades 1971-1994. Click here for high resolution version, which is a very large file. Please credit “NOAA.”) “Being prepared for hurricane season is key in reducing the loss of life and property,” said Undersecretary Mike Brown of the Department of Homeland Security and director of FEMA. “Knowing what to do when a hurricane strikes takes planning and preparation, and includes steps that range from knowing your evacuation route to obtaining flood insurance." DHS and FEMA
encourage families to take three basic steps in order to be better prepared
in the event of a disaster, including assembling a disaster supply kit,
creating a family emergency plan and understanding their risks. FEMA’s
Are You Ready? A Guide for Citizen Preparedness, available online offers
tips and information that can help families accomplish these three tasks.
The main factors contributing to the expected above normal Atlantic hurricane season are the existing multi-decadal patterns (lower vertical wind shear, a favorable African Easterly Jet, weaker Trade Winds, and warmer than normal Atlantic Ocean temperatures) combined with a 70 percent chance that La Niña conditions will develop during the summer and further reduce the vertical wind shear in the heart of the hurricane development region. La Niña is characterized by unusually cold ocean temperatures in the Equatorial Pacific, compared with El Niño’s unusually warm ocean temperatures. “This combination of factors creates a high likelihood of an above-normal Atlantic hurricane season,” said Gerry Bell from the NOAA Climate Prediction Center. “If La Niña conditions develop as expected, then the activity could well be in the upper portion of our predicted range. This is the first time since 1999 that conditions have the potential for producing a very active season.” Bell also noted, “On average two to three hurricanes hit the United States in seasons such as this, but we cannot say at this time whether a particular locality will be impacted by a hurricane.” “The possibility of an above normal Atlantic hurricane season is further reason to prepare now rather than waiting for the unknowns of the last minute rush,” said Max Mayfield, director of the NOAA National Hurricane Center in Miami. “Planning and preparation are key to protecting the lives and property of those residents living in areas vulnerable to hurricanes.” The Atlantic Hurricane Outlook is a consolidated team effort consisting of the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, Hurricane Research Division, and National Hurricane Center. NOAA meteorologists use a suite of high-tech tools to forecast tropical storms and hurricanes. Forecasters rely on information gathered by NOAA and U.S. Air Force Reserve personnel who fly directly into the storms in hurricane hunter aircraft; NOAA, NASA and Department of Defense satellites; NEXRAD WSR-88D radars, and partners among the international meteorological services. The NOAA National Weather Service is the primary source for weather data, forecasts and warnings for the United States and its territories. The NOAA National Weather Service operates the most advanced weather and flood warning and forecast system in the world, helping to protect lives and property and enhance the national economy. NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce. Relevant
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