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=12){$seasonstatus="Inactive"; $seasoncolor="green"; } else {$seasonstatus="Active"; $seasoncolor="red"; }; ?> Hurricane Season: Hurricane Season*
Hurricane Danger: Active Hurricanes/Tropical Depressions/Storms
*Hurricanes and tropical storms can occur in Florida before or after the seasonal active hurricane season. All severe hurricanes effecting Florida, the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico have occurred during August, September and October, most occurred the first 2 weeks of September.
Hurricanes and tropical storms are an unfortunately a reality from time to time in the South Florida Palm Beach County cities of Boca Raton and Delray Beach.
The difference between a tropical depression, a tropical storm or a hurricane is the following criteria:
A tropical depression is the weakest form with thunderstorms with an organized system of clouds and a maximum sustained wind speed of 48 Miles Per hour (mph).
As the storm gains in strength it has a more defined surface circulation it becomes a Tropical Storm with a sustained wind speed of 39 to 73 Miles Per hour (mph).
When the Tropical Strom gains strength and has sustained wind speeds of 74 MPH or more, it becomes a full blown Hurricane. The strength of a hurricane is graded into 5 categories in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale rated from 1 to 5 with 1 being the weakest and 5 being the strongest hurricane. The five categories of the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale are listed in the chart below:
Hurricanes most often form during hurricane season which for Florida and the Atlantic coastal region starts June 1st and ends November 30th. The majority of the most dangerous storms occur late in the season from August through to October. The chance of hurricane danger is not over before and after the hurricane season as hurricanes can occur at any time throughout the year far past the regular hurricane season.
There have been more hurricanes and the hurricanes are more violent than what they have been historically. Most of the injuries and deaths associated with hurricanes can be avoided if you are prepared, follow common sense hurricane safety rules and instructions from officials before, during and after the storm.
When a hurricane watch or warning is issued it is time to take action to protect your property and prepare from a hurricane. A hurricane watch and a hurricane warning are not the same thing.
If a hurricane watch is issued for an area it means that it could experience hurricane conditions within 36 hours. A hurricane watch means that it is time to secure your home, boat, and business, gas up your vehicles. If you reside on a barrier island or a severe flood zone it is time to evacuate.
If a hurricane warning is issued hurricane winds are expected to reach that area in 24 hours or less. A warning is more urgent that a watch as there is a higher degree accuracy the closer the storm is to landfall.
Much of the hardship and grief of the temporally adverse conditions during and after the strom can be offset with a little pre-hurricane planning.
For residents of South Florida who have lived through a hurricane or even just a hurricane scare the thought of dealing with huge lines and empty shelves in stores, empty gas pumps, and dealing with people who are driving like maniacs with hair trigger tempers send chills down our spines.
Before hurricane season even begins your pantry should be stocked with enough ready to eat food and enough drinking water (1 gallon per person per day) to last at least 5 days - longer is better.
You should also have enough batteries for flashlights, portable lamps, radios and portable televisions to last a minimum of a week. Even if you have a generator it is wise to have enough battery operated equipment to last at least for a few days.
Your cars gas tanks should be filled far in advance as there may be gas rationing the last day or so before a hurricane. If there is severe hurricane damage it is possible to take weeks before gas stations are back to normal and the distance to get to a working gas station and the time it takes on long lines make purchasing gas a daunting task after a bad hurricane.
Hurricane Names · Tropical Storm Names · Tropical Depressions | ||||
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* Name already used for Hurricane Season | ||||