2004 Hurricane Season Was Active -- Be Prepared for 2005

Forecasters at the National Oceanic Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) predicted an active hurricane season in 2004, which started June 1 and lasted through November 30. The NOAA expected a 50% increase in storm activity in comparison to the norm. These findings are especially important to Louisiana residents who have seen three of the ten deadliest hurricanes and four of the fifteen costliest hurricanes in history.

Hurricanes are created in the warm tropical waters of the ocean. They are spiraling masses of wind and rain that require a complex mix of atmospheric conditions to be created, to grow, and to die out. There must be a pre-existing disturbance, the warm tropical ocean, and light winds to create a hurricane, and if these conditions exist long enough the hurricane will mature into high winds, incredible waves, heavy rains, and flooding. Hurricanes are a specific type of tropical cyclone, a low-pressure system generated in the tropics. In the Northern Hemisphere the winds run in a counterclockwise circulation near the earth’s surface. The winds must reach 74mph to be classified as a hurricane.


History
Louisiana has been hit by several of the worst hurricanes in history. Hurricane Andrew caused over $25 billion in damage in 1992, making it the costliest hurricane in history. It wreaked havoc from Louisiana to South Carolina, including the southern Florida Peninsula. Hurricanes Juan, Camille, and Betsy also caused record damages. Hurricane Juan, a category 1 hurricane, caused $1.5 billion in 1985, ranking it the eleventh costliest hurricane. Camille and Betsy are ranked twelfth and thirteenth, respectively, leaving behind over $1.4 billion in damages a piece.
Recent advances in forecasting, as well as the ubiquitous access to television and radio, have brought the death toll from hurricanes down tremendously. Before the 1970's hurricanes caused hundreds of deaths as they rolled through the country. The most deadly was a hurricane in Galveston, Texas in 1900, which killed over 8,000 people. Louisiana’s worse death tolls were during Audrey in 1957, a Grand Isle hurricane in 1909, a New Orleans hurricane in 1915, Hurricane Camille in 1969, and Hurricane Betsy in 1965. They caused over 1,400 deaths total. In comparison, Hurricane Andrew in 1992 killed 23 people. See the links below for more detailed information on these and other hurricanes.


Classification
Once classified as a hurricane the storm is categorized on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale. Ranging from Category 1 for the lowest wind speeds to Category 5 for the highest, the scale is a relative system, which refers only to the wind speed. Category 1 storms can cause more damage than a higher category storm depending on where and when it hits land. (See chart below for links to the tropical cyclone classifications and the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale.)


Naming
The name hurricane comes from colonial Spanish and Caribbean Indian words for “evil spirits” and “big winds”.

At wind speeds of 39mph, the cyclones are named. A six year, rotating list was drawn up by an international committee to facilitate the tracking of the storms as well as for warning purposes, for legal issues, and to reduce confusion when several storms exist at once. The names are retired if the hurricane is especially well known. For instance, Andrew will not be used again after the infamy of Hurricane Andrew in 1992. (See chart below for hurricane names.)


Storm Hazards
Hurricanes bring with them a number of dangerous conditions. Storm surge, high winds, tornadoes, and inland flooding are all parts of the hurricane’s system.
The storm surge is the water pushed to shore by the winds around the storm. Combined with the normal tides, it can increase the mean water level by 15 feet or more. Especially if the surge comes in on high tide, severe flooding can follow.

Generally speaking, the more intense the storm and the closer the area is to the right front quadrant, the larger the evacuation area will be. At 1,700 pounds per cubic yard of water, the waves and current action can ruin anything in its path that is not designed specifically to withstand the force of the water. This can also erode the beaches and highways, as well as demolish buildings, which would be able to stand up to the winds of the hurricane but not the water.

Most people associate a hurricane with the high winds it brings. Even high-rise buildings fall prey to the winds as the strength tends to increase with height. Research suggests that the tenth floor is the highest safe point in a hurricane; it is important to remember, however, that the flooding of lower floors is another issue to avoid. Winds are the strongest in the right side of the eyewall, and usually significantly decrease after landfall.

Inland flooding can be the most deadly of the hurricane’s entire arsenal. As the intense rainfall is not directly related to wind speed, the category of a hurricane or tropical storm does not tell the whole story. Tropical Storm Allison in 2001 was not even a hurricane, but she killed 41 people and caused over $5 billion in damages. Freshwater floods account for 59% of tropical cyclone deaths in the US in the past 30 years. Of that number, 23% are drowned in or while abandoning their cars. Preparation for floods is the best way to be able to survive a flood. (See below for preparation tips.)


Watch versus Warning
According to the NHC, “A hurricane watch issued for your part of the coast indicated the possibility that you could experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours.” Family disaster plans and protective measures should begin in the event the watch is elevated to a warning

“A hurricane warning issued for your part of the coast indicates that sustained winds of at least 74mph are expected within 24 hours or less,” explains the NHC. After a warning has been issued, protective actions should be completed and preparations should be made for moving to the safest location during the storm.


Hurricane Preparedness
Basic Safety as Recommended by the NOAA

• Know if you live in an evacuation area. Know your home's vulnerability to storm surge, flooding and wind. Have a written plan based on this knowledge.
  
• At the beginning of hurricane season (June 1st), check the supplies for your disaster supply kit, replace batteries and use food stocks on a rotating basis.
  
• During hurricane season, monitor the tropics.
  
• Monitor NOAA Weather Radio. It is an excellent/official source for real-time weather information and warnings.
  
• If a storm threatens, heed the advice from local authorities. Evacuate if ordered.
  
• Execute your family plan.
  
• If you live in an evacuation zone and are ordered to evacuate by state or local officials, do so as quickly as possible. Do not wait or delay your departure, to do so will only increase your chances of being stuck in traffic, or even worse, not being able to get out at all.
  
• Garage doors are frequently the first feature in a home to fail. Reinforce all garage doors so that they are able to withstand high winds.
  
• Learn your vulnerability to flooding by determining the elevation of your property.
  
• Evaluate your insurance coverage; as construction grows around areas, flood plains change. If you are in a flood area, consider what mitigation measure you can do in advance.
  
• Be aware of streams, drainage channels and areas known to flood, so you or your evacuation are not cut off.
  
• Stay away from down power lines.