Hurricane season quickly moves in while many still pick up the pieces from the last storm

Hurricane Isabel as seen from spaceThe National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting a tumultuous hurricane season this year. The forecast, released Thursday, predicts that as many as six major hurricanes could form over the Atlantic Ocean this season. This is unsettling news for many states in the south currently struggling with national disasters of their own. Insurance companies are bracing for yet more damages.

Last year’s hurricane season was relatively tame. Winds kept most tropical storms at sea and prohibited them from forming into hurricanes. “However, we can’t count on luck to get us through this season,” says NOAA administrator, Jane Lubchenco. “We need to be prepared, especially with this above-normal outlook.”

Many insurance companies in the south are urging residents to purchase flood insurance. Given the severity of the storm last month that caused the Mississippi River to swell beyond its banks, flood insurance has never been more important. Existing policyholders are being urged to take another look at their policies to ensure they have appropriate coverage, being advised to purchase additional coverage if they need to.

There are a number of factors contributing to the abnormally active season. Among them are the weather phenomena La Nina and higher than average water temperatures in the Atlantic region.

Lubchenco asserts that there is no way to predict whether hurricanes forming in the ocean will make landfall or where.

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