June 1 marks the official start of the six month Atlantic Hurricane Season. Forecasters are predicting a relatively quiet season. Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project calls for seven named storms including three hurricanes and one major hurricane. Experts note, however, that the number of predicted storms has no correlation to the likelihood of a hurricane making landfall in the U.S. Hurricane Wilma was the last storm to hit the state in 2005, which means Florida is currently in the longest stretch of consecutive years without a Hurricane making landfall since 1851. Emergency management experts worry that residents may become complacent. Plus, according to the Southwest Florida Regional Planning Council, the region’s population changes by about 50% every eight years meaning a significant number of residents living here now, haven’t experienced hurricane activity.
We’ll explore what forecasters are predicting for the coming season and how residents can prepare and stay informed. We’ll also explore recent social science research and what it tells us about how effectively forecasters and emergency experts are communicating with the public.
Guests:
Jeff Huffman, Florida Public Radio Emergency Network Meteorologist
Wayne Sallade, Director for Charlotte County’s Office of Emergency Management
Betty Morrow, Ph.D., Research Scientist with Florida International University’s Department of Sociology and Anthropology
