People urged to prepare despite low storm forecast

(CNS): Although most weather experts have predicted a below average hurricane season this year in the Atlantic, local officials are warning the public not to be complacent and to make their preparations now as government begins its hurricane checks. The public works department and the NRA will be shuttering over 100 government complexes and buildings, including 16 hurricane shelters on Grand Cayman Wednesday as well as checking standby generators and water cisterns and ensuring that shelters and other buildings are all secure, as part of the annual hurricane preparation exercise. Hurricane season is less than four weeks away and residents are urged to review their own home-protection plans too.

Officials said at a minimum everyone needs to consider how they will cover windows and glass doors in the event of a hurricane, and prepare ahead, where you will go if your home is on the ocean, in other vulnerable areas or is not hurricane safe. Due to the limited number of hurricane shelter spaces, residents are encouraged to make every effort to stay in the safe home of a friend or relative, or available workplace. Shelters are safe refuges to ride out a hurricane, but they are not designed to be comfortable accommodation, and may become crowded.

As the tenth anniversary of Hurricane Ivan approaches those who weathered that storm can testify it only takes one hurricane to destroy everything. While international hurricane predictors across the USA and the region all agree that 2014 is expected to be one of the quietest hurricane seasons in decades it doesn’t mean Cayman will escape unscathed as forecasters are still calling for nine named storms in all.

Compared to the years 1981 through 2010 however, which averaged around 12 storms the long range forecast is very much below-average for major hurricanes making landfall along the United States coastline and in the Caribbean.

The Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project, headed initially by William M. Gray and now by Philip J. Klotzbach have made one of the lowest predictions since they started making long range forecasts with just one major landfall hurricane expected.

“It appears quite likely,” they predicted, “that an El Niño (warm water temperatures off the Pacific coast of South America which reduces hurricane activity in the Atlantic) of at least moderate strength will develop this summer and fall. In addition, the tropical Atlantic has anomalously cooled over the past few months.”

For additional information about preparing for the season contact the Public Works Department at 949 2547 or Hazard Management 945-4624 visit: www.caymanprepared.gov.ky