SINT MAARTEN (PHILIPSBURG) – The Atlantic Hurricane Season starts June 1st and NAGICO Insurances is urging everyone to get ready for what has already been forecasted by NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center (CPC), to be ‘a very active season’.
“Getting an early start on your preparations for hurricane season this year is important, because such preparations by itself can be stressful but it can become even more challenging when combined with handling the impacts of the current coronavirus pandemic.”
In a statement issued by NAGICO Insurances, the public is implored to heed the advice from the Emergency Response Departments and local MET Office, to give yourself more time than usual to implement a plan to safely prepare, evacuate, and shelter from severe weather conditions while keeping yourself and family safe from COVID-19.
FEMA has also advised that now is the time to prepare for the possibility of a hurricane and even if you already know what to do to prepare for a storm based on historical experience, our current landscape is quite different, thanks to the COVID-19 pandemic, so you should revisit your plans and approach.
This year, Research Scientist Phil Klotzbach, from the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU) stated, “Most of the Atlantic, the Caribbean, and the Gulf is quite warmer than normal and the temperatures in the region are warmer than average, this hints that upcoming tropical cyclone formation will easily fuel from the very warm ocean waters.” It is therefore not surprising that the experts at NOAA predict another above-normal Atlantic hurricane season with a 60% chance of an above-normal activity. A likely range of 13 to 20 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 3 to 5 major hurricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher) is expected.
“We are encouraging renters, home and business owners to contact their NAGICO Representative to check on the status and discuss the adequacy of their policies.”
As a reminder, the official Atlantic Hurricane Season runs from June 1st through November 30th. Covid-19 has already caused financial hardship, please do not take any chances. Be prepared. Follow NAGICO on Facebook and Instagram or visit us at www.nagico.com.
