NOAA to look at moving hurricane season start date

Taylor Cooper, The Brunswick News, Ga.
·2 min read

Mar. 8—Hurricane season may come early next year.

The increasing frequency of hurricanes in the Atlantic Ocean may necessitate moving the beginning of hurricane season back by about two weeks, from June 1 to May 15.

"Named storms have formed prior to the official start of the hurricane season in about half of the past 10-15 years, including each of the past six years," said Dennis Feltgen, meteorologist and spokesperson for the National Hurricane Center.

As a result of this phenomenon, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration recommended at a recent hurricane conference that the NHC and the eastern and southern regional headquarters of the National Weather Service come together to work out whether conditions demand moving the start of hurricane season.

"Then, an examination would need to take place regarding the need for, and potential ramifications of, potentially moving the beginning of the hurricane season to May 15," Feltgen said.

It won't happen this year, but it's not likely to have an impact on the Golden Isles either way, local emergency management officials say.

"Our big concerns are still between the September and October range when we have high king tides and high activity," said interim Glynn County EMA Director Alec Eaton. "We stay on top of yearly exercises for training, so for us it would just push things up a month."

The EMA partners with dozens of area government agencies and private companies on tabletop and real-world exercises, drills, preparedness checklist updates, monthly conferences and hurricane plans.

Emergency preparation is a well-oiled machine in Glynn County, Eaton said. One of the most important requirements is being able to shift focus on a dime and adapt to changing circumstances, he said. Should hurricanes begin hitting Glynn County early, local groups will be as prepared as they would for any other, he said.

"In reality, it's mother nature's decision on when she wants to have hurricane season. Weather changes, it's dynamic and we have to adapt to those changes," Eaton said.

On the subject, he reminded all county residents to update their hurricane evacuation plans and disaster kits. For tips on preparing both, visit ready.gov.