Prepare for the Upcoming Hurricane Season

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecasted the busiest Atlantic hurricane season in 25 years, predicting 17 to 25 named storms, including eight with winds of 74 mph or higher, and four to seven of those potentially becoming major hurricanes. This heightened activity is attributed to warmer-than-average ocean temperatures and the La Niña effect.
Officials are urging Virginia residents to prepare for severe weather by inspecting roofs, clearing gutters, sealing gaps, trimming weak trees, ensuring sump pumps and drains function properly, and testing generators. Additionally, residents should conduct a household inventory, review insurance policies, and ready an emergency kit containing essentials like food, clothes, a first-aid kit, a battery-powered radio, flashlight, medications, cash, and important documents in a watertight container. Families should also ensure their vehicles have a full tank of gas in case of an evacuation.
Federal Emergency Management Authority Deputy Administrator Erik Hooks emphasized the importance of preparedness, noting that severe weather can strike at any time.