Hurricane seasons are challenging weather conditions that can be hazardous to human life and property. The best response to such situations is to be well-prepared beforehand. Your best response is a thorough plan to care for you, your family, neighbours, property, and business.
Hurricane season requires three-pronged strategies: what to do before, during, and after the hurricane. There must be more time to act before issuing a hurricane warning. You need precautionary measures like protecting your property and business, arranging emergency and medical kits, food, water, and a reliable power source in case of prolonged power breakdown. The Jackery solar power generators are noise-free, safe from heating and overvoltage, and economical for power supply.
Overview of Hurricane Seasons
Hurricanes are formed over the ocean. They are a rotating system of clouds and thunderstorms that start over tropical or subtropical waters and have closed low-level circulation. They usually begin as waves in a low-pressure area and move through the tropics. The warm ocean air rises and then cools to form clouds and thunderstorms. When the water condenses in the clouds, more heat is released, giving more power to storms.
When wind speed reaches over 74 mph, it’s called a hurricane or a tropical cyclone.
What is the Eastern Pacific hurricane season?
The eastern Pacific hurricane region is the area of the eastern Pacific Ocean east of 140°W north of the equator. This area has the highest chance of a disastrous hurricane season. Eastern Pacific storms most often move westward over open waters. However, some storms also move toward the northeast. These storms cause rainfall in the southwestern United States during the summer season. Significantly, few storms affect western Mexico or Central America.
The eastern Pacific hurricane season officially runs from May 15 through November 30. It is at its peak from July through September.
What is the Atlantic hurricane season?
During the summer, the Atlantic Ocean warms up, causing more hurricanes. When the ocean surface water goes over 79 degrees Fahrenheit, it provides increasing heat energy, or latent heat, released through evaporation. This latent heat causes an upward motion and triggers the formation of clusters of storm clouds and the rotating circulation. That's how the storms are formed.
The North Atlantic sea surface temperature has been at a record high for most of the past year. In 2024, the temperatures are already high, and the forecasts show they will remain high during the summers, predominantly because of global warming. These high temperatures are expected to cause a busy hurricane season this year.
What is the Central Pacific Hurricane Season?
The hurricane season in the Pacific begins on June 1 and ends on November 30; however, tropical cyclones occur throughout the year. The hurricane season remains busy when a tropical cyclone moves into the Central Pacific from the Eastern Pacific or from the West or forms in the Central Pacific.
Hurricane Emergency Contacts & Resources
- FEMA Hurricane: gov/hurricanes
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) Mobile App: gov/mobile-app
- FEMA Against the Wind: Protection From Hurricane and Wind Damage: gov/media-library/assets/documents/2988
- FEMA Community Hurricane Preparedness Training: fema.gov/is/courseoverview.aspx?code=is-324.a
- FEMA Taking Shelter From the Storm: Building a Safe Room in Your Home or Small Business: gov/media-library/assets/documents/2009?id=1536
- American Red Cross Hurricane Preparedness: org/prepare/disaster/hurricane
- FloodSmart Campaign: gov
- National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration(NOAA): gov
- Locate an open emergency shelter, text SHELTER and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA).
- Locate an open Disaster Recovery Center, text DRC and a Zip Code to 43362 (4FEMA).
How to Prepare for Hurricane Season
Preparation for hurricane season must start long before a hurricane watch or warning is issued. Some preventive measures and preparation help mitigate the risk to lives and property. A comprehensive plan has five parts.
1. Communication
A detailed communication plan is your first step in preparing for hurricane season. It must include the channels and resources from which you can get the latest storm update, along with the authorities' instructions. A handheld radio is your best friend in challenging weather, as it runs on batteries, is easy to carry, and may work anywhere.
The second part of your communication plan concerns how to connect to your family and community. In case of evacuation, everybody should be on the same page about where you will be heading. A list of family and authorities' contact numbers must be hung visibly in the house, and everybody should also have their digital and physical copies.
2. Emergency Plan
The emergency plan includes keeping three to seven days of food and water, a Jackery Solar Generator, medicines, medical equipment and other stuff you will need. A general list may look like this;
- Jackery Solar Generator
- Non-perishable Food Items
- Water
- Add a first-aid kit and any prescription medication your family may need. Also, add any required medical equipment, e.g., glucometer, BP apparatus, etc.
- Personal hygiene and sanitation items.
- Flashlights and extra batteries
- Battery-operated radio and batteries
- Waterproof container for cash and documents
- Manual can opener
- Books, magazines, games
- Lighter or matches
- Pet supplies
- Cooler and ice packs
3. Evacuation Plan
If you live in an evacuation zone, a proper evacuation plan should also be a part of your hurricane season preparation. As an evacuation instruction is issued from the authorities, you must leave immediately.
You have learned your evacuation routes beforehand. It is always a good practice to drill evacuation with your family and pets beforehand and identify where you will be staying and what you will bring. The emergency kit that we mentioned above must be in your car with you when evacuating. Fill your car gas tank. Check your vehicle for fitness as well.
4. Secure Your Documents
Ensure your and your family's iD and other essential documents are digitally and physically copied and secured in waterproof containers.
5. Strengthen your home
Strengthening home safety is also important to mitigate the risk of damage to loved ones and property in storms, winds, and flooding.
- Cover your windows with hurricane shutters or plywood to avoid vandalism and glass breaking.
- Secure straps or clips to securely fix your roof to the structure of your home.
- All trees and shrubs must be trimmed, and rain gutters must be clear.
- Reinforce your garage doors.
- All outdoor furniture, garbage cans, decorations, and any other loose stuff must go inside.
- Stay away from windows and doors and close, secure and brace internal doors.
Jackery Solar Generators for Emergencies
A reliable and safe alternative power supply is paramount in an active hurricane season. We recommend the Jackery solar power generators, as they can be used with full confidence indoors and outdoors. These generators have library-level noise, no heat dissipation, and are equipped with high-quality battery management systems to prevent overvoltage and overheating.
The Jackery solar generators are available in a wide range of capacities and sizes. We recommend the 1000 plus, 2000 plus, and 3000 pro for power backup during hurricane season.
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus
Jackery Solar Generator 1000 Plus has a capacity of 1264Wh and a 2000W output. This capacity is large enough to support almost 99% of your kitchen appliances and equipment. Additionally, you can expand the capacity to up to 5kWh by adding three add-on battery packs.
The following is a list of equipment with running time on a fully charged Jackery solar generator 1000 Plus.
|
Appliances |
Working Time |
|
Coffee Maker(1300W) |
1.3 H |
|
Car Fridge(60W) |
45 H |
|
Projector(100W) |
9 H |
|
Electric Cooker(900W) |
1 H |
|
Portable Air Conditioner 1150W(1150W) |
1 H |
|
Television(60W) |
14 H |
|
Refrigerator(Insulation)(15W) |
44 H |
|
Microwave Oven(1160W) |
1 H |
|
Drone(90W) |
29 Times |
Jackery Solar Generator 2000 Plus
The Solar Generator 2000 Plus has a basic 2kWh capacity that can be expanded to 24kWh by adding a battery pack and solar panels. This capacity is large enough for home backup during hurricane season. Since it has multiple output ports, you can simultaneously power up to 18 devices, including AC, DC, and USB connections.
The solar generator 2000 plus can run large home appliances, including a heat pump, portable air conditioner, air fryer, electric oven, and kettle. The expanded 24 kWh setup supports two weeks of home backup.
The following table summarizes the working hours of different devices on fully charged Jackery 2000 Plus.
|
Appliances |
Working Time |
|
Portable Air Conditioner(1150W) |
1.9 H |
|
Microwave(1050W) |
1.5 H |
|
Kettle (850W) |
1.9 H |
|
Coffee Maker (550W) |
2.8 H |
|
Drone (90W) |
45 Times |
|
Electric Oven (800W) |
2.1 H |
Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro
Jackery Solar Generator 3000 Pro has a large capacity of 3024Wh and a massive 3000W power output. Its noise level is only 30-55 dB, which is almost quiet. It has in-built safety against short circuits and overvoltage through its industry-leading BMS (Battery Management System) with 12 layers of protection.
The following table summarizes the working time of different Jackery solar generator 3000 Pro appliances.
|
Appliance |
Working Time |
|
Refrigerator(520W) |
5 H |
|
TV(60W) |
35 H |
|
Light(5W) |
220 H |
|
Heater(1800W) |
2.2 H |
|
Microwave(960W) |
2.2 H |
|
Electric grill(850W) |
2.4 H |
What To Do During & After A Hurricane
When you have prepared for the hurricane beforehand, you will be in good shape during the storm. You should follow these steps when the authorities issue a hurricane watch for your area.
- If an evacuation warning is issued, inform the family and the community. The best practice is to leave early and follow designated evacuation routes.
- If you aren't evacuating, stay indoors. Avoid windows, doors, and exterior walls. The best place to stay is an interior room on the lowest floor.
- Keep updated through local news and weather updates.
Even when the hurricane passes, following the preventive measures and authorities' instructions is essential.
- Avoid flooded areas, power lines and debris.
- When you return home after the evacuation, be cautious of broken glass, wet power lines, leaked lines, etc.
- Assess damage to your property and make notes. Contact your insurance company.
- If you decide to do temporary repairs, keep records for insurance purposes. Wait to make permanent repairs until the hurricane season
Hurricane Season FAQs
1. What size of solar generator do I need for an emergency?
The size of the solar generator you need for an emergency depends on your requirements. So, you must list all appliances you need in an emergency and add up their wattages. Add the highest starting wattage from the list to the sum you calculated earlier. This is your total requirement of power.
So, if your total requirement in a hurricane season is 800, then;
Working time = capacity of the generator * 0.85 / running watts of all your devices + highest starting wattage
Working time of a 800 watts on 3000 Pro = 3024 * 0.85 / 800 = 3.2 Hours
** We multiply the generator capacity by 0.85 to make the estimate more realistic. In this calculation, we incorporate a 15 % loss of efficiency during operation and transmission.
2. What month is the worst for hurricanes?
The official hurricane season starts in May and lasts until November. The most activity, however, occurs between mid-August and mid-October.
3. How bad is hurricane season going to be in 2024?
NOAA National Weather Service forecasters at the Climate Prediction Center have warned that 2024 will see above-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin this year. The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to have an 85% chance of being above average, a 10% chance of being near normal, and a 5% chance of being below normal.
The NOAA forecast shows a range of 17 to 25 total named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Among these storms, 8 to 13 may become hurricanes with 74 mph or higher winds, including 4 to 7 major hurricanes.
4. What are three things you can do to prepare for a hurricane?
The best advice for preparing for hurricane season is to move earlier and plan before the warning is issued. Other important things include;
- Identify your evacuation route well ahead of time
- Keep an emergency kit and a medical kit ready.
- Secure your home.
5. What is the hurricane season for Florida?
Florida's hurricane season begins on June 1 and lasts five months. The most active months are August and September.
Final Thoughts
Preparing for hurricane season starts way before the hurricanes arrive. When you live in an area with frequent storms, it is wise to consider the weather when you conduct your home's normal maintenance. Replace anything that is not working, clean the gutters, test your smoke alarms, and keep a steady alternative power supply like a Jackery solar power generator for long power breakdowns.
Depending on when hurricane season is in your area, prepare your emergency kits and medical kits and take the other required steps we discussed above to remain safe.
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