KEYS HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS WORKSHOP

FLORIDA KEYS – NOAA National Weather Service forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center announced Thursday they’re projecting above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin in 2024, with the highest numbers of storms ever predicted in a May forecast outlook.

“All the ingredients are definitely in place to have an active season,” National Weather Service Director Ken Graham said. “It’s a reason to be concerned, of course, but not alarmed.”

Graham said people needn’t panic, but should start preparing now and have a plan.

To encourage preparation, for more than 20 years the Monroe County Tourist Development Council and the Lodging Association of the Florida Keys and Key West have staged a Hurricane Preparation Workshop for the Tourism Industry.

This year’s seminar, to be conducted virtually, is set for Thursday, May 30, beginning at 1 p.m. and is to feature Dr. Michael Brennan, director of the National Hurricane Center.

“Regardless of the total number of storms this season, if you live, work or play in the Florida Keys, it is wise to stay aware and be prepared for the storm that might affect you,” said Chip Kasper, the meteorologist in charge at the Florida Keys National Weather Service Office in Key West.

The conference focuses heavily on impacts that can occur even for areas that lie outside the track forecast cone.

Other participants include Monroe County Emergency Management’s Shannon Weiner and Cory Schwisow, and Kasper and Jon Rizzo of the Florida Keys National Weather Service Office. In addition, Elaine Cooke of Two Oceans Digital is to discuss an emergency accommodations module that is to be enacted during a storm emergency to provide lodging for recovery workers and displaced residents. Andy Newman, the TDC’s media relations director, is to discuss how the TDC works with emergency management and the weather service to protect visitors’ safety as well as the economy for Keys residents.

The upcoming Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have above-normal activity due to a confluence of factors, NOAA forecasters noted, including near-record warm Atlantic Ocean temperatures, development of La Nina conditions in the Pacific, reduced Atlantic trade winds and less wind shear — all tending to favor tropical cyclone formation.

NOAA is forecasting a range of 17 to 25 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher). Of those, 8 to 13 are forecast to become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 4 to 7 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher). Forecasters have a 70% confidence in those ranges, NOAA officials said.

Register for the conference at https://bit.ly/KeysHurricaneConference2024. 

The Atlantic-basin hurricane season formally begins June 1 and continues through Nov. 30.