Looking Ahead: The 2014 Hurricane Season
PDC’s Global Hazards Atlas centered on the Pacific, showing PDC Integrated Active Hazards and the Tropical Cyclone Outlook layer. Note that there is an area of interest in the Eastern Pacific.
The NOAA National Hurricane Center (NHC) has reported an area in the Eastern Pacific where there is a high likelihood that a tropical cyclone will form. It is indicated in the image from PDC’s Global Hazards Atlas, above, by a large red circle. The color red signifies, according to NOAA standards, a better than 50 percent chance of cyclone formation within 48 hours. The hurricane season in the Eastern Pacific began on May 15 and continues through November 30. The Atlantic and Central Pacific hurricane seasons begin June 1, also continuing through November 30.
In a statement released today, NOAA is predicting a near-normal or below-normal 2014 Atlantic hurricane season. This still means that one or two major hurricanes (above Category 3) are to be expected in the Atlantic. In a related statement, also released today, NOAA is predicting a near-normal or above-normal hurricane season for the central Pacific.
“Since 1995 the central Pacific has been in an era of low activity for hurricanes,” the NOAA release states, “but this pattern will be offset in 2014 by the impacts of El Niño.” It is expected that an El Niño pattern will fully develop during the hurricane season this year.
Both NOAA and PDC encourage everyone to be prepared for possible emergencies. The time to assemble or recheck and update your emergency supply kit is now, not when a hurricane has already become a threat. PDC has information about developing a Family Disaster Plan and offers a customizable Disaster Supply Kit checklist on its website (PDC).
Current Hazard Warnings
Drought: United States (Southwest/Pacific), West Africa
Earthquakes: India, Kenya , Mexico, Peru, Solomon Islands, South Sandwich Islands (Visikoi), Taiwan, and Tanzania
Flood: Balkan Peninsula, Canada, Guatemala, and United States (Hawaii, and Midwest)
Severe Weather: France, Switzerland, Thailand, and the United States
Volcanoes: El Salvador, Guatemala, Indonesia, Mariana Islands , and Peru
For real-time information on current disasters download PDC’s free Disaster Alert mobile app available for your iOS or Android devices today! Also be sure to monitor PDC on Twitter, Facebook, and by accessing the Global Hazards Atlas page.