If the hurricane experts proved to be right, we will have some real concerns as we approach into the warmer months. Back in mid-May, NOAA (the National Ocean and Atmospheric Administration) released its predictions for the 2011 season. NOAA expects as many as 18 named storms, 6 to 10 of those could strengthen to hurricanes, and 3 to 6 could become major hurricanes.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially runs from June 1st to November 30th with New England’s 
season running primarily in the months of August and September. The concern comes from the fact that it only takes one storm to make it an active season. However, these forecasts aren’t perfect for there have been some years where a lot of activity was anticipated and not much occurred, as well as the reverse, a quiet season was predicted and it was active. No one can really tell months in advance. The experts are basing their predictions on numerous factors such as La Nina conditions as well as statistical predictions that utilized nearly six decades of past data.
Regardless of the probability, preparation is the key to any anticipated storm. Here are some ideas:
- Check with your insurance agency to be sure you have the proper coverage in place to enable recovery from potential property damage that could occur. See if your policy specifies for a either a windstorm deductible or “named storm” deductible. A named storm (tropical or hurricane) is considered a windstorm that has been given a name by the National Weather Service, such as Hurricane Bob or Tropical Storm Lisa.
- When a named storm is about to occur, take steps to prepare you and your family for the worst case scenario. Take the time to watch this You Tube video by NOAA on hurricane preparedness. Safety Tips on Preparing for a Hurricane
Here at Donald J. Medeiros Insurance Agency our goal is to try to help our viewers by outlining potential exposures and suggest solutions for all insurance needs. By no means can we address a viewers’ specific insurance policy in every incident. So, we strongly advise to check with an insurance agent to ask about its specific coverage.
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