Get Prepared For Hurricane Season This Year

It's Hurricane Preparedness Week, and we all know being prepared for the worst is an important fact of life for Louisiana residents.

According to the Colorado State University (CSU) forecasters, 2021 is predicted to spawn 17 named storms, eight hurricanes, and four major hurricanes. That's versus the 30-year average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.

The prediction for 2020 was a lot lower than the outcome, and CSU forecasters are saying this upcoming season is going to be worse. They are saying this year, El Niño isn't expected to run through the peak of hurricane season, which usually creates wind shear in the tropics that helps break up or at least weaken storms  before landfall on the U.S. mainland. Also, the subtropics are forecast to be warmer than normal this year during hurricane season.

Louisiana GOHSEP Deputy Director Casey Tingle said in a press release:

The activities of last year, some of which are still ongoing as we try to help people recover and get back home and get back into their homes. We know that some of those homes are still fragile to things like wind and so that makes it even more important that everyone have a game plan.

Not only is it important that you have a bug-out bag ready (like the one above) in the event of having to evacuate SWLA from a storm, but also that you have the essentials below.