June marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs through Nov. 30.
The National Hurricane Center is predicting above-average activity this year, with between 13 and 19 named storms expected for the season. Storms are named when they become tropical storms or stronger.
The Massachusetts Emergency Management Agency (MEMA) strongly recommends that residents, visitors, and businesses in Massachusetts take the necessary steps to prepare in order to help lessen the likelihood of individuals being caught off-guard in the event a hurricane is expected to impact the area.
The Federal Emergency Management Agency conducted a disaster preparedness survey in 2022 and found that only 45% of respondents felt prepared for a natural disaster. From that survey, 42% of respondents said that they intended to prepare in the future, but have not yet started, and 14% of the survey respondents said that they have no intentions of preparing for a disaster.
While preparing for and during a hurricane, residents should stay informed by signing up for alerts through the Emergency Alert System, local notification systems, or social and traditional news media. Residents should also form an emergency plan with their families and prepare their homes by securing outdoor furniture, doors, and windows and clearing debris from drains.
The U.S. Department of Defense provides preparedness checklists and resources, encouraging residents to build a hurricane kit, prepare their homes for the storm, and have an evacuation plan.