Starting with the drought that's been going on. It's not one you might have heard of.
The Atlantic hurricane drought — it's been more than 10 years since a category three or stronger hurricane has made landfall in the Eastern U.S. or on the Gulf Coast. A category three storm is a major one, with wind speeds of more than 110 miles per hour. The current hurricane drought is the longest on record.
But it doesn't mean there haven't been any big Atlantic storms. Hurricane Gaston is currently spinning in the Atlantic. It's just not expected to hit land.
Forecasters say the longer a drought last, the more likely it becomes that a threatening hurricane will form. And right now, the North Atlantic is entering peak season for cyclones. The hurricane season itself runs from June 1st to November 30th. Mid to late August is the start of the most active and dangerous time for tropical cyclone activity. That's according to the U.S. government's meteorologists.
There are a couple of systems out at sea that could become a threat in the days ahead. What should you do if you live in an area where a hurricane could come ashore?
You and your family need to be prepared for hurricane way before it makes landfall.
The number one thing you need to do: get your supplies. You need enough nonperishable food items for three days for each person in your family.
You also need one gallon of water per day for each person. Also make sure you have plenty of batteries and a battery-operated radio, as well as flashlights.
Chances are during a hurricane, you will lose power. In that case, your cell phone will lose power as well. So, you'll lose all of your contacts.
Make sure you make a list of all the emergency contacts that you'll need.
Also, have an evacuation plan. Know your evacuation route and familiarize yourself with it.
Lastly, get your home ready. If you have hurricane shutters, make sure you know where they are and you know how to install them. Also, prune your trees and gather up any loose items that can become projectiles once the winds pick up.
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Words in This Story
drought – n. a period of dryness especially when prolonged
hurricane – n. an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm with very strong winds that occurs especially in the western part of the Atlantic Ocean
cyclone – n. an extremely large, powerful, and destructive storm with very high winds that turn around an area of low pressure
shutter – n. one of a pair of outside covers for a window that open and close like a door