An “above average” hurricane season is expected for the Atlantic Basin -- which includes the entire East Coast and Gulf Coast of the United States -- this year according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Climate Prediction Center – a division of the National Weather Service.
As with every hurricane season, this outlook underscores the importance of having a hurricane preparedness plan in place. Across the entire Atlantic Basin for the six-month season, which begins June 1, NOAA is predicting the following ranges this year:
- 12 to 18 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher), of which:
- 6 to 10 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including:
- 3 to 6 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of 111 mph or higher).
- FEMA assigns USACE missions to include: debris management, water/ice procurement, commodities distribution, temporary housing, temporary roofing, emergency power, infrastructure assessment, and support to urban search and rescue.
- The Corps organizes its response by having specially trained teams ready to perform public works and engineering-related missions. The Corps has more than 40 specially trained response teams ready to perform a wide range of missions.
- USACE uses pre-awarded contracts that can be quickly activated for missions such as water, ice, temporary roofing, generator installation, and debris management.
- In preparation for the 2011 hurricane season, USACE conducted several hurricane exercises – both internally and with local, state and federal agencies – across our organization.
- When disasters occur, it is not just a local Corps district or office that responds. Personnel and other resources are mobilized across the country to carry out our response missions.