For those on the Northeast who had to face the wrath of Superstorm Sandy, it is too soon to imagine another Sandy, let alone anything worse than Sandy. However, the reality, experts say, is that “[e]ight hurricanes are predicted for this year’s hurricane season, perhaps the most since Superstorm Sandy struck New Jersey in 2012.”1

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 through November 30. In 2015 the Atlantic saw 11 named storms and four became hurricanes and two became major hurricanes. What’s in store for us in 2016?

The U.S. Climate Center outlook calls for a 70 percent probability for each form of weather activity during the 2016 hurricane season:
• 10-16 named storms, which includes Alex in January
• 4-8 Hurricanes, which includes Alex in January
• 1-4 Major Hurricanes2

Meteorologists have been monitoring the weather patterns and experts from AccuWeather and elsewhere warn that those living along the Atlantic coast should be on alert. Although some experts say there’s lots of uncertainty, even a normal hurricane season would be more active than the past three years.

Memories of the devastation caused by Superstorm Sandy are all too fresh. Some homeowners are still dealing with lingering effects of Sandy’s wrath. Homeowners should be prepared.

  • Insurance – Speak with your broker, make sure you have adequate insurance coverage. If you don’t have a copy of your policy obtain one from your agent/carrier. Read your policy and make sure you know what you have to do in case of a loss. Keep contacts numbers together with your policy. Keep everything stored and in a safe and easily accessible location.
  • Pictures – take lots of pictures of the current condition of your home. Take as many pictures of the contents of your home, including make/model and serial number tag (if any). Visual evidence is the best method to prove the current condition of the property as well as ascertain the value of your belongings. Store all pictures on cloud based system, in case your computer/phone/camera is damaged.
  • Prepare – if your property location is prone to flooding, move any belongings to higher ground. Also, ensure that any exterior items are secured/stored to avoid damage to the items themselves and/or prevent them from going airborne and causing additional damage.
  • Be Safe – if you think there is a possibility that your home will be impacted, be prepared to leave to a place where you and your family can be safe. Always keep in mind that material objects can be replaced …whereas, … life is precious and irreplaceable.

1 http://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/careful-new-jersey-worst-hurricane-season-superstorm-sandy-predicted-0
2 http://patch.com/new-jersey/middletown-nj/careful-new-jersey-worst-hurricane-season-superstorm-sandy-predicted-0