Hurricane Season has begun, what is this year going to bring?

2018-06-28
By: Denise Koslowsky

June marks the official start of Hurricane Season which runs through the end of November. Each year hurricane experts make predictions for what we can expect in the year ahead.  We are going to take a look at what’s ahead but first, let’s glance in the rearview mirror.

A look back at last year
In 2017, we named 17 storms.  10 developed into hurricanes with 6 that could be declared as major storms.  Three were certainly memorable, namely Harvey, Irma & Maria.  Harvey was devastating for the communities in and around Houston, TX becoming one of the most expensive US disasters ever.  Irma gave us 37 hours of winds that topped 180 miles per hour. And Maria caused the deaths of at least 4635 people and left Puerto Rico in ruins.

A look to the year ahead
So what can we expect for the 2018 season?  According to the Colorado State University experts, we can anticipate 16 named storms with 7 turning into hurricanes and 3 of them reaching the major storm category of Category 3 and above.

The rising sea levels, driven by climate change, put many homeowners and secondary homeowners in our area at a heightened risk.  A recent article from bloomburg.com highlights the Hamptons as the area with the high property tax value at risk and names New Jersey and Florida as the most susceptible states.  You can read more from the June 19^th article here.

What does that mean for you?

Advocate Brokerage wants you to Be Prepared!  Don’t wait until the storm warnings start to prep your home to weather the storm.  Some helpful tips include:

• Roof Straps, tie downs, and other wind resistant roof options can help your roof stay in place in the event of a major storm.
• Storm shutters are also important to help protect your home from wind and water damage.  Since sizing is important installation is best planned well ahead of a storm.
• Having a permanent generator is also a great idea and many insurance carriers will offer a discount for homes that have one installed.

Our final thought…

Even if you don’t own a home in a flood zone, Flood Insurance is worth considering.  We don’t encourage a wait and see attitude when it comes to protecting your property.  Instead, we want you to keep in mind that the Federal flood policy has a 30-day waiting period.  If you have any questions or concerns, please give us a call.  We would be happy to review your current coverage and help to give you peace of mind that your property is protected.