NOAA expects 4 to 7 major hurricanes in 2024. How to prepare your

Hurricane season has officially begun.

With scientists predicting yet another active year for storms, making your home hurricane resistant has become a more valuable precaution.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its forecast May 23 that it expects an 85% chance of “above-normal” activity this hurricane season, which spans from June 1 to Nov. 30.

NOAA forecasts 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Eight to 13 are expected to spiral into hurricanes, and four to seven of those might turn into major hurricanes — Category 3, 4 or 5 — with winds reaching 111 mph or higher.

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“Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment, which is why individuals and communities need to be prepared today,” Erik A. Hooks, deputy administrator at the Federal Emergency Management Agency, said in a statement released with the NOAA forecast.

“Already, we are seeing storms move across the country that can bring additional hazards like tornadoes, flooding and hail,” he said. “Taking a proactive approach to our increasingly challenging climate landscape today can make a difference in how people can recover tomorrow.”

Hurricanes are among the most expensive natural disasters in the U.S., and experts say the storm-related damage is likely to become more significant as storms become more severe.

NOAA said “near-record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean” are expected to be among the factors creating the environment for tropical storm formation.

A separate forecast from hurricane researchers at Colorado State University predicts an “extremely active” hurricane season in 2024 due to record-warm tropical and eastern subtropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures.

The water temperatures across the tropical Atlantic in 2024 on average are about 1 degree Celsius, or 1.5 to 2 degrees Fahrenheit, warmer than normal. While it doesn’t sound like much, it’s a big difference, said Phil Klotzbach, a senior research scientist at the Department of Atmospheric Science of Colorado State University.

“The tropical Atlantic right now is record warm,” he said. “That means more fuel for the storms that are trying to form.”

While atmospheric and water conditions may change, it’s wise for residents of storm-prone areas to think about undertaking home projects sooner rather than later.

“Now’s the time to prepare and have a plan in place,” Klotzbach said. “You don’t want to be making these preparations at the last minute.”

Some of the projected effects of…