The National Hurricane Center recently held its annual conference to predict what this year’s hurricane season will be like. This year, the National Hurricane Center predicted that it is going to be a quiet year in terms of hurricanes. The 2014 hurricane forecast, which is closely monitored by people all over the United States, calls for just three hurricanes this season. Additionally, only one of these hurricanes is likely to be a major storm reaching up to Category 3 or higher. We will be able to check the center’s accuracy for ourselves once hurricane season starts, which is on June 1.

The Accuracy of These Predictions

Although the National Hurricane Center is calling for few hurricanes this year, it is important for us to keep in mind that this is nothing more than a prediction. Just like any other prediction made by us, the National Hurricane Center has been known to get things wrong. In fact, over the past two years, it has been way off in its predictions.

In 2013, the National Hurricane Center predicted that it was going to be a huge hurricane season. It predicted that there would be at least 18 named storms to hit U.S. shores. Out of these storms, eight or nine of them were expected to be major storms. As it turned out, however, the hurricane season was a bust. There were only 13 named storms that were recorded, and only two of them turned out to be hurricanes.

William Gray, the 84-year-old climatologist who helped pioneer the science of preseason hurricane predictions, said that the center has never had a year that was predicted as poorly as 2013. He said that he has gone his whole life making a living predicting storms, and then he makes the worst forecast in nearly 30 years. He added that it does not show very good progress in terms of storm prediction. Last year was a let down in terms of predictions, and he hope to get it right this year.

Rick Knabb, the director of the Hurricane Center, said that the forecasters hope to learn from the mistakes that they made last year. Their goal is to give a more accurate prediction this year so people in places like Florida know what to expect.

Preparing for Hurricane Season

Just because there are not a lot of hurricanes predicted for this year does not mean that people should not worry about protecting their homes against water damage. As pointed out by Mr Knabb during the conference, just because a year is expected to have few storms does not mean that the storms will not cause above average damage. Before the storm hits, board up all of your home’s windows. The windows are the easiest entry point for water during a hurricane. One good idea is to invest in storm windows. If storm windows are not in your budget, plan on keeping boards and nails on hand so that you are ready when a hurricane hits. Taking these precautions can greatly reduce your risk of requiring extensive water damage restoration once a storm passes.

Calling a Professional Water Damage Company

If your home in the West Palm Beach area suffers any kind of water damage during a hurricane, it is a good idea to call a disaster restoration professional right away. Water damage is not something that you should take lightly. This is because water damage that is left untreated can result in mold growth and damaged or warped wood. Also keep in mind that the quicker you contact a professional water damage company, the less likely you are to suffer any long-term complications from it.