Hurricane season underway; NOAA predicts 2-4 ‘major’ events

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center have predicted a “near normal” Atlantic hurricane season this year with between nine and 15 named storms, of which four to eight are expected to reach hurricane strength and two to four could become major events with winds of more than 111 mph.

The 2018 season produced 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and two major hurricanes, although none impacted the Caribbean region with the force and damage of Irma and Maria in 2017.

The season, which runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, already spawned Andrea, a tropical storm, in late May.

To serve as a reminder of the predictions made and preparations necessary, the Caribbean Tourism Organization held an hourlong Facebook Live discussion.

The discussion included Frank Comito, CEO and director general of the Caribbean Hotel and Tourism Association (CHTA), Dr. James Hospedales, executive director of the Caribbean Public Health Agency, and Henry Williams, head of operations at telecommunications company Digicel.

“There is nothing like readiness,” Comito said. “CHTA urged its members back in April to review practices in place, to update contacts in case communications systems go down, to stockpile emergency items and to set up command centers so that both CTO and CHTA can get the word out quickly regarding the status of islands affected.”

He urged hotels to educate their guests regarding cancellation policies, as well.