Though early predictions indicate that the country will have another quiet hurricane season this year, meteorologists are urging residents to stay prepared.
“People think they don’t have to worry, but that’s not the case at all,” AccuWeather.com meteorologist Dan Kottlowski said in a statement. “All it takes is one storm or hurricane to ruin your vacation or your property.”
Two storms, either tropical storms or hurricanes, are predicted to land in the United States during the season, said Accuweather.com. The areas currently considered most vulnerable are along the coastlines between the Gulf of Mexico and New England.
Such storms, particularly hurricanes, are capable of generating storm surges, which can ravage the coastline, as Superstorm Sandy did in New Jersey in October 2012. Damaging winds and even tornadoes can result from hurricanes.
Residents are urged to prepare emergency kits that include food, water, important documents, and safety supplies. Kottlowski also recommends having emergency routes memorized, because “once a storm or hurricane is on its way, it’s almost too late.”
Hurricane season in New England is June 1 to Nov. 30, according to the state’s Executive Office of Public Safety and Security.
Catalina Gaitan can be reached at catalina.gaitan@globe.com. Follow her on Twitter at @catalina_gaitan.