Hurricane season begins Wednesday and runs through the end of November. Experts are expecting yet another busy season for tropical storms and urging New Yorkers to prepare for the worst.
Last week officials with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration outlined their predictions for the 2022 season, which include between six to 10 hurricanes — three to six of which they expect to develop into major hurricanes. Experts attribute the busy season to an array of factors including La Niña and warmer sea surface temperatures.
In anticipation of this hurricane season, New York City’s Office of Emergency Management kicked off a "Know Your Zone" campaign, urging New Yorkers to figure out whether they’re in a coastal flooding evacuation zone.
The city outlined tips for preparing when a big storm is headed to the region, like charging your cell phone batteries, getting gas if you have a car, turning your fridge to a colder setting in case you lose power, and filling your bathtub and other receptacles with water in case service is interrupted.
Last year was the third busiest season on record, with 21 named storms. It follows 2020 with 30 named storms — the most ever recorded — and 2005 which ranks second with 28 storms, according to NOAA.
While the season kicks off on June 1st, traditionally the most activity doesn’t come until mid-August and runs through mid-October. More severe storms hit the U.S. in the past five years than the previous 50 years, according to the Associated Press.
While scientists are still studying how climate change affects hurricanes, they expect higher sea levels to trigger more coastal flooding and rainier, more intense storms as the climate warms.
The start of Hurricane season in the metro area will bring two days of rain and scattered thunderstorms for Wednesday and Thursday, though that’s expected to give way to warm temperatures and clear skies for Friday, Saturday, and Sunday.
