US forecasters are warning of widespread complacency about hurricanes and carelessness that may prevent people from preparing for strong storms. Robert Molleda of the National Hurricane Center in Miami, Florida made these comments at a press conference that was held at the NHC yesterday, Wednesday 1 June, to mark the start of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
Hurricane activity this year is forecast to be average.
After several years of cyclone activity near or lower than the average during the Atlantic season, complacency and carelessness might be generated among the people, and the authorities say that this attitude could be “very dangerous.”
Molleda stated that it doesn’t matter how many storms are forecast because any of them could affect an area and cause a catastrophe. He recalled that only seven storms were forecast in 1992 but Andrew, a category five hurricane with winds of more than 252 kilometers per hour almost swept the cities of Homestead and Florida City off the map.
A contributing factor to this year’s forecast is the dissipation of the El Nino and the presence of La Nina in the Pacific, which favors the formation of hurricanes in the Atlantic, especially in August, September and October.
