Hurricane Season – Are You Ready?

The Dangers of Hurricane Season and the Importance of Being Prepared

As we recognize NOAA’s National Hurricane Preparedness Week, it's essential to remind ourselves of the looming threat of hurricanes and the importance of being prepared.

Hurricanes are not just heavy storms; they are natural disasters that can wreak havoc on coastal and inland communities alike. Understanding the risks associated with hurricanes and taking proactive measures can save lives and minimize damage.

Looking Ahead: The 2024 Hurricane Season

The Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June to November, poses a significant threat to all Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico coastal areas. The majority of hurricanes occur during the peak season, from mid-August to late October.

According to a forecast by AccuWeather meteorologists, the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season could set a record pace, with upwards of 25 named storms expected. If realized, this prediction would shatter historical averages, highlighting the urgency of preparation.

Hurricanes bring with them catastrophic damage in the form of high-speed winds, heavy rainfall, storm surges, and flooding. Wind For ‘worst-case-storms,’ wind speeds can exceed 155 miles per hour, leading to the destruction of buildings and infrastructure, while storm surges, caused by the wind pushing water toward the shore, can inundate coastal areas, causing extensive damage and posing life-threatening risks.

Hurricane Season Flooding: Understanding and Reducing the Risk

Flooding is one of the most significant dangers associated with hurricanes. Heavy rains, flash floods, storm surges, and inland floods can all result from these powerful storms.

1. Heavy Rains: Hurricanes, tropical storms, and summer thunderstorms can bring several inches of precipitation in just hours or can stall over an area for days, leading to severe flooding by oversaturating the ground, filling storm drains, and causing rivers to overflow.
2. Flash Flooding: Flash floods, which can occur within hours of intense rainfall, pose a significant threat to low-lying areas. These floods can be particularly dangerous as they develop rapidly, giving little time for evacuation or preparation.
3. Storm Surge & Inland Floods: Storm surges, combined with high tides, can cause severe flooding in coastal areas. Additionally, hurricanes can travel far inland, bringing heavy rains and flooding to areas well beyond the coast.
4. Compound Flooding: Hurricanes can generate storm surges in coastal regions while also inducing inland flooding through torrential rainfall. When these flood sources interact, they can compound a hurricane’s hazards, leading to significantly more flooding than would result from any one source alone.

How Streamline Technologies’ FloodWise™ and StormWise™ Can Change Outcomes

Proactive preparation and advanced warning systems are crucial in minimizing the impacts of hurricanes and flooding. Streamline Technologies’ FloodWise™ and StormWise™ offer cutting-edge solutions for flood forecasting and early warning.

The FloodWise™ system is powered by StormWise™, an integrated surface water–groundwater numerical engine. StormWise™ pushes results to an outward-facing dashboard that municipalities, emergency responders, and flood management teams can interact with through any internet browser, including wireless mobile devices. With the system running 24/7/365 and automatically ingesting gauge-corrected real-time rainfall data every hour, users can remain in a proactive posture, limiting the life-threatening risks posed by these significant storm systems.

A medium-range forecast is issued daily and forecasts flooding impacts several days in advance. FloodWise™ also includes tools to conduct “what if” scenarios, such as evaluating user-specified storm events or changing operational criteria for pump stations.

FloodWise™ serves as a vital operational tool for flood managers and emergency response teams, facilitating informed decision-making and reducing the impact of catastrophic flood events affecting the lives of the people they protect.

Taking Action

Preparing for hurricane season involves more than having supplies and evacuation plans in place. It also involves having access to accurate and timely information to make informed decisions.

Streamline Technologies’ FloodWise™ and StormWise™ are revolutionizing disaster management by providing advanced flood forecasting and early warning systems, helping communities better prepare for and mitigate the impacts of hurricanes and flooding.

Download our whitepaper, "Flood Forecasting and Early Warning System," and contact our team today to discover how these cutting-edge technologies are changing outcomes and saving lives.