Hurricane season runs from June thru the end of October each and every year. Each year is unlike the prior year. Each year unpredictable at first, but as the season moves onward our meteorologists glean a better idea of how things might unfurl.

2018 hurricane season began with a thud, but come September it is heating up. One reason this is the case is because by September the Atlantic Ocean is about as warm as it gets in the entire year. That warm water helps these storms to intensify.

There have been six storms so far with half making it into the hurricane category. In case you do not know there is stringent criteria that are used to determine a hurricane from a tropical storm. That criteria begins with sustained wind speeds. There are five categories of hurricanes and the first occurs when there are sustained wind speeds of 74 to 95 miles per hour. A category two begins at 96 miles per hour and moves into winds or gusts that are up to 100 miles per hour. At the 111 mile per hour mark the storm turns into a category three and remains there until it hits the 129 miles per hour marker. From 130 miles per hour up until 156 miles per hour demarks the category four hurricane. From 160 miles per hour and above means a category five.

What should you expect if you should find yourself caught in any of these hurricane situations? A category one may remove shingles from roofs and uproot some trees along with power outages in the areas affected. Category two us a bit harrier. Besides roof damage there may also be considerable and widespread home damage and power outages. In a category three hurricane you can expect massive damage to homes and other properties along with water and power disruption for several weeks or even months. Category four and five will create catastrophic and devastating damage for all structures in its wake. Complete power and water disruption can be expected to last for as long as a year or more. Debris will be everywhere and there may be significant loss of life.

What you can do is heed the warnings and prepare. Board up your home and business. Buy supplies like water, flashlights or candles, and food stuffs that can be eaten without heating or much preparation in advance. If your area is asked to evacuate please do so. Evacuation is meant to keep you and your family safe. Please plan for your pets too. Do not leave pets inside your home when you evacuate!

Good luck, play things safe!