The Atlantic hurricane season starts Thursday, and while it’s usually busiest in New York August through October, city officials said it’s never too early to be prepared.
This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season. The NOAA forecasted a range of 12 to 17 total named storms, with five to nine of those having the potential to become hurricanes. One to four of those could become major hurricanes.
An average season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
Commissioner of Emergency Management Zachary Iscoll said public awareness remains one of the most important strategies to manage the effects of a hurricane.
“People have to be prepared, they have to take precautions,” Iscoll said. “They have to sign up for things like notify nyc to make sure that they have the information they need to keep themselves safe.”
In 2021, Hurricane Ida caused billions of dollars in damages and killed at least 13 people in the city. And a recent rain storm that caused flooding left many asking if the city is ready to respond to future weather events.
The Office of Emergency Management suggests a three-pronged approach to staying prepared.
First, know your zone. Three million New Yorkers live in one of the city’s six evacuation zones — areas subject to storm surge flooding. This map lets residents know which areas are at risk, and if there’s an active evacuation notice.
Second, make a plan. City officials encourage New Yorkers to have a plan in place ahead of a storm hitting the city, and offers guidelines on its website.
Third, stay informed. There are a number of ways New Yorkers can get alerts from the city during emergencies including signing up for Notify NYC, downloading the Notify NYC app, following Notify NYC on Twitter, visiting the website, or calling 311.
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
Contributed reporting by Amanda Rozon.
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