2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Predictions and Preparation

2024 Atlantic Hurricane Season: Predictions and Preparation
Posted by PS Energy Group on

The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1 and ends on November 30. For fleet managers, there’s no time like the present to focus on hurricane preparedness before the season ramps up.

Having your fleet and drivers as hurricane ready as possible is crucial to staying safe before, during, and after a storm and lessening a storm’s impact on your operations and customers.

It only takes one storm to bring your business to a temporary halt or worse — destroy it. Ensure business continuity by knowing what to expect this Atlantic hurricane season and how best to prepare.

Atlantic Hurricane Season 2024: What the Experts are Expecting

The Colorado State University (CSU) Tropical Weather and Climate Research team predicts this hurricane season to be one of the most active in history. They’re predicting a well-above-average chance for major hurricanes to make landfall along the continental U.S. coastline and in the Caribbean.

The CSU team predicts 23 named storms or hurricanes, which means a storm has developed to a stage with winds of at least 39 mph.

They predict that 11 of those 23 storms will reach hurricane status, while five will develop to at least a category 5 with sustained winds of 111 mph or more.

According to the team, three factors contribute to the predicted uptick of named storms for the 2024 season. They are:

  • Higher sea surface temperatures — Historically, above-average water temperatures are associated with an active hurricane season since hurricanes need warm water to develop into storms and major hurricanes.
  • Comparisons to historical data — Air pressure and wind conditions measured this year are similar to conditions from previous hurricane seasons that were overactive.
  • Rapid transition from El Niño to La Niña — El Niño and La Niña are opposing climate patterns related to wind direction and intensity, sea temperature, and air pressure over the Pacific Ocean.

The predicted shift from El Niño to La Niña this season can make conditions just right for above-average activity. La Niña reduces wind shear — the sudden change in wind speed or direction between the surface and upper levels of the atmosphere — allowing tropical storms to develop more readily.

The chance of La Niña developing is around 80% for August, September, and October — the peak of the hurricane season.

Prepare and Protect Your Fleet

The number of storms and hurricanes predicted by the CSU team for the 2024 hurricane season is the highest since 1996. Forty percent of businesses don’t open following a disaster, while 25% fail within one year. Avoid being a 2024 statistic by making fuel, operational, vehicle, and driver preparations before it’s too late.

Fuel

  • Have fuel supply lines in place
  • Check that your fuel supplier provides emergency fueling services and guarantees fuel delivery
  • Ensure fuel reserves can last a minimum of 72 hours
  • Protect fuel from water with water-tight seal caps
  • Ensure fuel integrity by testing fuel for water presence
  • Top-off fuel for vehicles, equipment, and generators

Operations

  • Have a disaster and disaster recovery plan in place as well as train and test all employees on their role
  • Train your team on basic first aid and CPR
  • Protect office equipment and vital records
  • Test security lighting
  • Check roofs and repair them if needed
  • Test your generator
  • Ensure that contact information for suppliers, FEMA, law enforcement, and insurance is current
  • Review insurance policies

Vehicles

  • If maintenance is not outsourced, have an ample supply of tools and parts
  • Ensure vehicles are current on preventative maintenance
  • Move vehicles to higher ground or protected shelter
  • Invest in fleet tracking software for real-time visibility into vehicle location and status

Driver Actions

  • Have emergency routes in place
  • Stock vehicles with an emergency kit
  • Stay on top of weather alerts
  • When driving in hurricane/tropical storm conditions:
    • For hazardous roads, pull over in a safe location, stay in the vehicle, and turn on flashers
    • Avoid flooded roads
    • Slow down, turn off cruise control, and avoid harsh braking
    • Increase following distance
    • Don’t use high beams

Alberto and Beryl lead off the list of storms for the 2024 Atlantic hurricane season. Don’t allow them to wreak havoc on your operations — be ready. Download our fleet manager’s guide to emergency preparation to learn how.