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| 2011 HURRICANE SEASON IS GONE! ...and ended November 30!!! HURRICANES HAPPEN IS HERE!!
Tuesday, August 2 at the First Baptist Church on Rt. 17 in NMB.
HURRICANES HAPPEN is a cooperative effort between WPDE NewsChannel 15, the Community Coalition of Little River and the Chambers of Commerce of both NMB & LR to educate the public about what to do to prepare for a hurricane. Should I evacuate? Am I in a flood zone? Where do I go? How do I protect my home? These questions and many more will be answered during Hurricane Week meetings.
This meeting will be held Tuesday, August 2 at the First Baptist Church of North Myrtle Beach Family Life Center, 6th Avenue South and Highway 17 in North Myrtle Beach.
Ed Piotrowski, WPDE Chief Meteorologist and Randy Webster, Horry County Director of Emergency Management will present and answer all questions.
Doors open at 6:00 p.m. and the meeting begins at 7:30 p.m.
Thanks to the NEIGHBORS WHOM ATTENDED! HURRICANE HELP FROM FRED Hurricane season is upon us and volunteers are available to assist residents in preparing for a hurricane.
This would be helping hang hurricane shutters, moving things inside, etc.
If you are interested in Fred’s assistance, please contact him as soon as possible so that he can come
and see what you need help with.
Fred Pitre (280-3243) Below are the list of names that will be used during the 2011 Atlantic Hurricane Season:
Arlene Bret Cindy Don Emily Franklin Gert Harvey Irene Jose Katia Lee Maria Nate Ophelia
Philippe
Rina
Sean
Tammy
Vince
Whitney (note the NEIGHBORS' NAMES!) Below is the WPDE Hurricane Survival Guide.
  Prepare financially for disasters
The furious storms that spawned vicious tornadoes throughout the South and Midwest recently remind us how quickly life can change. Storm victims are faced with the daunting task of not only rebuilding homes but also their personal finances.
While you can't control the storms, you can control how to prepare financially for a natural disaster and what to do afterward.
"Disasters obviously take an emotional toll, causing shock, grief and confusion. And the sudden shock to your financial system can be severe," said Ted Beck, president and chief executive of the National Endowment for Financial Education. "Following a disaster you may feel panicked or helpless. But it's important to stay calm, ask for help and exhaust all resources offered to you as a victim."
Organize your important personal documents. Make front and back copies of key records you may need to prove your identity, such as your Social Security card, birth certificate, passport, driver's license and health insurance cards. Also make copies of your credit and debit cards and home insurance policy.
"Whatever you need to prove that you're you in the event that you lose everything," said Adam Levin, chairman and founder of Identity Theft 911. "You need to have this information because the quicker and more effectively you can confirm you're you, the better it is for you."
The Identity Theft Resource Center advises consumers to store important papers in a portable locked box that can be taken with you if you must evacuate or move into an underground shelter.
The center also advises you to "prepare your computer for transport or remove the hard drive and put it in your locked box." You can also back up your personal data on a thumb drive and take that with you.
Another option is to use the Internet for storage.
"It's easy and affordable to store irreplaceable items in an online vault," said Brian McGinley, senior vice president of data risk management at Identity Theft 911. "This includes special family photographs and historical, estate and trust documents."
Review your policies. Before disaster strikes, review your homeowners and auto policies for deductibles and coverage limits.
Most tornado, windstorm, hail and similar severe-weather-related losses are covered either by homeowners, renters or commercial insurance policies.
Protection from windstorm or hail damage for cars is covered under the "comprehensive" portion of the automobile insurance policy.
Standard homeowners insurance doesn't cover flooding, so you buy flood insurance separately. You can get more information about flood insurance from your insurance agent but don't wait until the last minute to buy it. Typically, there's a 30-day waiting period from date of purchase before your policy goes into effect.
Record property identification. For insurance purposes, record the model and serial numbers for big-ticket items such as large-screen TVs, audio equipment, musical instruments and other personal belongings of value.
"Photograph them as evidence of possession, and store the photos in an online vault," McGinley said.
Set up an emergency fund. Everyone should have this, natural disaster or not.
"Take steps to establish a financial cushion equal to three to six months of living expenses," said the Texas Society of CPAs. "The fund can help manage other financial crises, such as unemployment. Keep these funds in a safe, easily accessible account, and do not use it unless it's an emergency."
Also, have a stash of cash in an emergency kit at home that you can take with you in case you need to evacuate; your bank and ATMs might be damaged.
Draw up a will. If you already have one, now's the time to update it. If you don't have one, get started.
"For many people it takes a disaster to point out the importance of having a will," the CPA society said.
Also draw up financial and medical powers of attorney, which empower a trusted person to make financial and medical decisions on your behalf if you're incapacitated.
Contact your insurance company immediately. Claims are frequently settled in the order in which they are received, so the sooner a claim is submitted, the faster it will be processed, said the Texas Society of CPAs.
Inspect your property and vehicles for damage. Inventory your losses, photograph the damage and save related receipts to assist with claims handling.
It's OK to make temporary repairs to protect your property, but don't make any permanent repairs until you've talked to an insurance adjuster, the insurance council said.
"The adjuster has to be able to come in and make some assessment of what the damage is," said Rick Gentry, executive director of the insurance council. "If you start making permanent repairs, that makes that process much more difficult."
Assess your financial position. This means taking stock of the income you'll have in the days and weeks ahead as well as your expenses.
"The first step toward financial recovery is to prepare a plan for managing income, expenses, and debt," the Texas CPAs group said. "Determine whether you're eligible for disaster relief funds from federal, state or local governments. Make every effort to keep up with household bills. If this isn't possible, call creditors to explain the situation and work out a payment plan."
Protect your personal information. If you're housed in a community shelter, don't leave the items in your locked box unwatched under any circumstances.
"The good news is you have a cache of important information to help you recover," said the Identity Theft Resource Center. "The bad news is this is a tempting target for an identity thief."
NOAA PREDICTION FOR 2011 SEASON The NOAA predictions are in for the 2011 hurricane season and another above average season is expected. Hurricane season officially begins June 1st and runs through November 30th. On average, a hurricane season will spawn 11 named storms, six of which will strengthen to hurricane status with two of these hurricanes becoming major hurricanes, categories three through five. While this year is not expected to be as active as the 2010 hurricane season, the predictions still call for an above average season: 12-18 named storms, 6-10 hurricanes, and 3-6 major hurricanes. Looking back to last season, the third busiest season in history, we were very lucky that only Tropical Storm Bonnie made landfall in the United States, south Florida. No hurricane made landfall. Experts say that we are likely not to be as lucky this year and should be prepared. NewsChannel 15's Chief Meteorologist Ed Piotrowski always says, "Numbers don't matter. It only takes one to make it a bad season for us." Here are some other known forecaster's predictions: Pennsylvania State University calls for 16 named storms. Colorado State University anticipates 17 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 5 major hurricanes. North Carolina State University is expecting 13-16 named storms, 7-9 hurricanes, and 3-5 major hurricanes Posted on Thu, Apr. 07, 2011 Hurricane Forecasters Call for 16 Named Storms By Ken Kaye
Sun-Sentinel In an updated seasonal outlook released Wednesday, Colorado State University storm prognosticators Phil Klotzbach and William Gray call for 16 named storms, including nine hurricanes. They predict five of those hurricanes will be major systems, with winds greater than 110 mph. That is slightly slower than their initial forecast for the 2011 Atlantic hurricane season, which starts June 1. In December, the two climatologists predicted 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes, five intense. In all likelihood, the two men will again modify their outlook , as summer fast approaches. If their forecast holds, however, it would translate to a busy season; in an average season, 11 named storms, including six hurricanes, two intense, develop. They say Atlantic basin sea surface temperatures should remain warm, though slightly cooler than last year. Also, they remain uncertain whether El Nino will emerge before the heart of the season. El Nino is the atmospheric weather pattern that creates wind shear and inhibits storm formation. "We have reduced our forecast slightly from early December due to a combination of recent ocean warming in the eastern and central tropical Pacific and recent cooling in the tropical Atlantic," Klotzbach said. In any case, they don't expect this season to be as frenetic as last year, when 19 named storms, including 12 hurricanes emerged. The good news last year: Not a single hurricane struck the U.S. coastline. As part of their forecast, Klotzbach and Gray call for a 72 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will strike the United States. The average is a 52 percent chance. They call for a 48 percent chance that a major hurricane will strike the U.S. East Coast. The average is a 31 percent chance. "It is recommended that all vulnerable coastal residents make the same hurricane preparations every year, regardless of how active or inactive the seasonal forecast is," Klotzbach said. "It takes only one landfall event near you to make this an active season." The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release its own season outlook on May 19. 2010 HURRICANE SEASON OFFICIALLY BEGAN AND ENDED! It was an active season, but fortunately not a single storm hit our area. WHEW!! Below is the 2010 program date. Watch this page in the spring for the 2011 date. AUGUST 3, 2010 NMB FIRST BAPTIST CHURCH LIFE CENTER 5TH ANNUAL HURRICANES HAPPEN YOUR BEST PROGRAM ON HURRICANE PREPAREDNESS Sponsored by the Community Coalition of Little River, NMB & LITTLE RIVER CHAMBERS & WPDE 2010 HURRICANE FORECAST MIAMI (AP) -- Federal government scientists are predicting there will be 14 to 23 tropical storms in the Atlantic basin during the coming season, including eight to 14 hurricanes. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted Thursday that three to seven of the hurricanes will be major storms that reach Category 3 or higher - meaning they bring sustained winds of at least 111 mph. The forecast is based on the weakening of El Nino. The Pacific Ocean phenomenon creates strong wind shear that weakens Atlantic storms. The Atlantic hurricane season begins Tuesday and runs through Nov. 30. (Copyright ©2010 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) New storm warnings system to boost head start By Tonya Root
troot@thesunnews.com Posted on Tue, Jun. 01, 2010 The hurricane season that begins today brings with it new standards for warnings aimed at giving those in the path of an approaching storm more time to escape. Some fear, however, that the expanded warning period might encourage more people to delay evacuation, and could discourage tourists who shy away if advanced storm tracks touch on the area.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has predicted an "active to extremely active" Atlantic hurricane season, which runs until Nov. 30. And if a storm does threaten the U.S. coast, the National Hurricane Center will warn residents and visitors 12 hours earlier than in previous years. The change means tropical storm and hurricane watches will be issued when conditions are possible along the coast within 48 hours, while tropical storm and hurricane warnings will be issued if such conditions are expected to hit the coast within 36 hours. "Nobody is saying it's going to be a slow year; it's going to be a busy year," said Randy Webster, Horry County's emergency management director. "And no one is saying there is going to be a direct impact on one particular place because no one knows. There's no guarantee we'll have anything, but all indications point to a very busy season." He expects the new timelines to help when it comes to emergency response. "They're giving us 12 more hours of preparation time, which to me is great. Some people do not take precautions until a watch or warning is issued," Webster said. "It will lead to more efficiency. It should continue to save lives and get the right people out of the way." Some, however, worry about those who wait until the last minute to prepare and leave or those who stay in harm's way during a storm. "Without us having a hurricane event since '89, there is complacency among our visitors and residents about a disaster," said Sam Hodge, Georgetown County's emergency management director. "I think it shows the National Hurricane Center is doing a better job in forecasting. My concern is that they've messed with the times, and people will say we can stay here another 12 hours. My key thing is, when the governor says evacuate, you need to evacuate." Those earlier warnings could deter the visitors who contribute to the state's main economic driver. "When a storm is forecast to making landfall anywhere between Georgia and North Carolina, it can have an impact on occupancy, more so on weekend bookings," said Taylor Damonte, director of the Clay Brittain Jr. Center for Resort Tourism. "We don't know what that impact will be, but we will be watching and comparing the change in the weather forecast to the same day to two days to five-day advance." Many factors affect how visitors react to storms off the coast, Damonte said. "Each storm is different," Damonte said. "The timing of it, what the zone of possible landfall is, and as we get closer to the actual day of arrival, the impact is greater and greater." Media coverage also affects decisions by potential visitors to come to the Grand Strand. "The changes to the scale, and the related changes in alerting the public, are designed to enhance safety," said Brad Dean, president of the Myrtle Beach Area Chamber of Commerce. "We don't anticipate this changing the process of potential evacuations, but we do expect it will accelerate the media coverage that precedes tropics storms and hurricanes." Even if no storms threaten the coast, residents and visitors should be prepared because such precautions can aid in coping with other disasters such as earthquakes and snowstorms. "You prepare for those when you prepare for hurricane season. We're at risk for all those disasters. We could have any other disaster to occur here," Webster said. "The areas that are most prepared recover the quickest. The individuals who are most prepared recover the quickest, and that's the key. There's no reason for us not to be ready because of all the other things going on around us." Posted on Fri, May. 07, 2010 El Nino Muddies Hurricane ForecastBy Randolph E. Schmid
The Associated Press The weather-altering El Nino condition in the Pacific Ocean seems to be easing and could be over by June, government climate experts reported Thursday. If conditions do revert to neutral, it could complicate forecasting this summer's hurricanes, since El Nino years tend to have fewer storms than normal in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico. Last month, forecasters Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray of Colorado State University said they foresee above-average storm activity for the Atlantic hurricane season due to a warming of tropical Atlantic "and a more confident view that the current El Nino will weaken." So-called La Nina years, when the Pacific is colder than usual, can lead to an increase in Atlantic hurricanes, but neutral conditions between the two make the storm season harder to predict. The government's hurricane forecast for this summer is due out later this month. El Nino is often noted as warmer-than-normal water in the tropical Pacific, and when that occurs there are generally warmer-than-normal winter temperatures in the North Central States and cooler-than-normal readings in the Southeast and the Southwest. This year, things were complicated by high pressure over Greenland that pushed cold, wet weather south, leading to blizzards along the East Coast. In its regular update of El Nino/La Nina conditions, the National Centers for Environmental Prediction said warm conditions in the Pacific continue, but have weakened since the end of February. Most computer models predict neutral conditions through the end of the year, but a few suggest the possibility of a La Nina developing, according to the Centers, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. Tropics to be lively in 2010 8 hurricanes likely, forecasters say By Ken Kaye
South Florida Sun Sentinel Posted on Thu, Apr. 08, 2010 Storm prognosticators Phil Klotzbach and William Gray are calling for a busier than normal 2010 hurricane season, with 15 named storms, including eight hurricanes. They predict four hurricanes will be major, with winds greater than 110 mph. An average season sees 11 named storms, including six hurricanes, two major. The Colorado State University climatologists say El Nino, the atmospheric force that hampers hurricanes, is expected to weaken before the season begins on June 1 and sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic should be abnormally warm. They call for a 69 percent chance that a major hurricane will hit the U.S. coastline and a 45 percent chance it would strike the East Coast. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release its seasonal outlook on May 20.
OLD NEWS US Forecasters Lower Atlantic Hurricane Outlook Posted on Thu, Aug. 06, 2009 By JENNIFER KAY
Associated Press Writer The Atlantic hurricane season will be less active than originally predicted, government forecasters said Thursday after the first two months of the half-year stretch passed without any named storms developing. Updating its May outlook, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said a warmer weather pattern called an El Nino over the Pacific Ocean was acting as a damper to tropical storms in the Caribbean and neighboring Atlantic. But forecasters at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center in Washington warned people to remain vigilant because the peak period for hurricanes runs from this month through October. The overall season lasts from June through November. The updated forecast calls for a below-normal to near-normal season with seven to 11 named tropical storms, down from a range of nine to 14 in the May forecast. Three to six storms could become hurricanes, down from four to seven in the earlier forecast. The new projection says one or two hurricanes could become major storms, instead of one to three major hurricanes. Tropical storms get names when sustained wind speeds reach 39 mph. They become hurricanes when sustained winds reach 74 mph. Major hurricanes blow at 111 mph or more. The strongest hurricanes are labeled Category 5, with winds greater than 155 mph. So far this year, one tropical depression formed off Cape Hatteras, N.C., on May 28, four days before the official start of the season; it quickly fizzled and never threatened land. Researchers at Colorado State University also have lowered their forecast for the Atlantic season to 10 named storms, including four hurricanes, two of them major. The El Nino warming of the Pacific sea surface suppresses storm formation, said lead seasonal hurricane forecaster Gerry Bell. "El Nino produces stronger upper-level westerly winds over the Caribbean Sea and tropical Atlantic Ocean, which help to reduce hurricane activity by blowing away the tops of growing thunderstorm clouds that would normally lead to tropical storms," Bell said. Competing with El Nino, however, are conditions that mark an ongoing high-activity era that began in 1995, forecasters said. Those factors include enhanced rainfall over West Africa and warmer Atlantic water temperatures, which favor storm development. "By no means do we expect the season to be dead," Bell said. Hurricanes have struck the U.S. during previous El Ninos, including Camille in 1969, a Category 5 storm, Betsy in 1965, Bob in 1991 and Lili in 2002. A calm start doesn't mean the rest of the season will stay quiet, forecasters warned. The first storm of the 1992 season - a below-normal year - did not form until late August. But Hurricane Andrew leveled parts of South Florida when it roared ashore as a Category 5 storm. The 2004 season also had a slow start. By the time it was over, Florida alone had suffered strikes from four separate hurricanes, one of which also caused 3,000 deaths in Haiti. "It only takes one storm to put a community at risk," said Federal Emergency Management Agency Administrator Craig Fugate. "That is why we need to take action and prepare ourselves and our families before the next storm hits, including developing a family disaster plan." The first storm of this year in the Atlantic, Caribbean or Gulf of Mexico will be named Ana, followed by Bill, Claudette and Danny. By this time last year, there had been five named storms, including two hurricanes. In all of 2008, there were 16 named storms, including eight hurricanes. About 1,000 people lost their lives, mostly in flash flooding in the Caribbean. Gas prices spiked last summer when hurricanes Gustav and Ike slammed into the nation's energy complex in the Gulf of Mexico. In the Pacific, six named storms, including three hurricanes, have developed so far this year. Hurricane Felicia, a Category 4 storm, was expected to weaken Thursday as it moves over colder water far out in the Pacific. Meanwhile, Tropical Storm Enrique maintained its strength with sustained winds near 50 mph about 1,035 miles west of the southern tip of Baja California. Posted on Sun, May. 31, 2009 On Watch: Hurricane Anniversaries Loom Large Emergency responders vigilant as anniversaries loom large By Tonya Root
troot@thesunnews.com The start of the 2009 hurricane season looms, and with it comes the anniversaries of two of the region's most costly storms. But the lessons of Hurricane Hugo in 1989 and Hurricane Floyd in 1999 helped set standards for safety in 2009. Four months after Randy Webster moved from West Virginia to the Grand Strand, the man who is now charged with keeping Horry County's residents safe survived his first hurricane. On Sept. 22, 1989, Hurricane Hugo blasted ashore at McClellanville as a category 4 storm and swept across the Carolinas, leaving wreckage from the coast to Charlotte, N.C. Webster, an Horry County paramedic at the time, had no idea what to expect. Twenty years later, Webster leads Horry County's emergency management division that plans how officials should respond to a storm and that keeps residents informed about what to do when one threatens. Just 10 years after Hugo, Hurricane Floyd ripped into the N.C. coast and unleashed a torrent of floods that laid waste to the coastal Carolinas. In the aftermath of those storms, the most damaging in the Carolinas since 1954's Hurricane Hazel, officials in Horry, Georgetown and Brunswick County, N.C., say everything - from communication to evacuation to response - has changed in their approach to hurricane season, which begins Monday and ends Nov. 30. Preparing for the inevitable "The key to it is, it has happened here before, it will happen here again. History does repeat itself. We are not immune to these, and what you do and the decisions you make will directly affect your outcome when it does occur again," Webster said. "It should be an average but active season. We won't know until the end of the year if it was good to us or not." Hurricane Floyd formed Sept. 2, 1999, and made landfall near Cape Fear, N.C., two weeks later as a category 2 storm. Its most serious damage on the Strand came in the days after. The storm dumped more than 20 inches of rain in some areas upstream. The resulting floods caused up to $6 billion in N.C. and S.C. flood damage. More than 1,000 homes in Horry County were damaged or destroyed by the floodwater. Hugo's winds and storm surge wiped away about 400 homes in Horry County, including about 90 percent of the homes in Garden City Beach. Local damage was tallied at $400 million. Statewide, the storm was blamed for 26 deaths. Traffic jams were an issue before both storms as residents and visitors headed inland, causing hours of standstill traffic on U.S. 501. Learning from disaster In the aftermath of those storms, comprehensive plans detailing evacuations, shelters and other responses were written and implemented in Georgetown and Horry counties and Brunswick County, N.C. New roads were built to lead residents and tourists away from the coast, and new technology keeps them up-to-date with the latest information. Officials have upgraded zoning codes, developed evacuation zones based on storm surge impact and developed plans for the hundreds of volunteers who descend on an area to help after a natural disaster. Additional roads are in the works, such as the proposed Southern Evacuation Lifeline, a 28-mile stretch that could serve as an evacuation route for South Strand residents. Randy Thompson, Brunswick County's emergency manager, said this hurricane season will be his last at the helm of the county's emergency management division and he's praying for a calm season. Thompson worked in Raleigh allotting state resources during the response to Hurricanes Hugo and Floyd before moving to Brunswick County, he said. "We have learned quite a bit. The biggest thing has been learning that you are going to deal with challenges," Thompson said. "We've had quite a bit more development in our area since Floyd, and things are going to impact us differently than they did in years past." It's Sam Hodge's first season as Georgetown County's emergency manager, but he's a native who has lived through a dozen or so storms that have struck the Carolinas' coastline, including Hugo and Floyd. "It only takes one storm no matter what the numbers say. With the 1989 season it was not a very busy hurricane year, but it was very busy for us," Hodge said. "We're always preparing, and now we want residents to start preparing, getting their kits together and evacuation plans ready because you don't know when it will happen." Being prepared is something Webster preaches to anyone who will listen because he wasn't prepared in 1989 when Hugo scoured the area, he said. "I can relate to people who have moved here and may have never experienced those conditions. We didn't know what to do. We didn't evacuate right away. Nobody knew what the threat was. Hugo changed everything," Webster said. New technology Some officials are using new technology such as social networking sites like Twitter and Facebook to get information in the public's hands. Horry County is not using the sites, but is considering them. Georgetown and Brunswick county officials have established accounts they plan to update during a tropical event. "The public is hungry for more information, and technology has been one of our best friends," Thompson said. "Things change so rapidly. Our environment changes and the communication changes, and to be proactive you've got to change with it," he said. "We know we're going to face challenges again, but I think some of the avenues we've identified to reach out I think is going to be very beneficial to us." Forecasters Expect Busy 2009 Hurricane SeasonHurricane forecasters at Colorado State University on Wednesday, December 10,predicted above-average activity in the Atlantic next year: 14 named storms, including seven hurricanes - three major. The 50-year average is 9.6 named storms, 5.9 hurricanes and 2.3 major hurricanes. Researchers William Gray and Phil Klotzbach said in their extended-range forecast there is a 63 percent chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the U.S. coastline. The long-term average probability is 52 percent. This is Gray's 26th year of forecasting hurricanes. His predictions are watched closely by emergency responders and others, but many say such long-range forecasts don't have a lot of practical value beyond focusing public attention on the dangers. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30, 2009. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
We had our first 2008 experience with TS Hanna. All went reletively well. A VERY SPECIAL THANKS TO THOSE WHO PITCHED IN TO CLEAN UP THE COMMON AREAS OF OUR NEIGHBORHOOD: Janie, Chad, Donna, Clint, Fred, Hugh, Chuck, Larry, Rich, Bob B., Gloria, Jimmy C. When you see them, say, "THANKS!!" | |
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