With hurricane season quickly approaching, OnPoint Energy wants you to stay as prepared as possible to plan ahead and to mitigate any avoidable damage. Whether you're new to the hurricane-prone areas or just inclined to stay vigilant ahead of the season, this blog will ensure you are prepared.
Of course, we are leaders in providing electricity not weather forecasts so this 2023 hurricane season prediction is only cautionary, and we cannot claim to predict exact weather patterns this summer. Consider this blog and your own circumstances, along with the advice of meteorological experts before making any preparations.
When is Hurricane Season in Texas?
As summer nears and the Gulf of Mexico heats up, warmer ocean air swirls to form hurricanes off Texas' coast. These start to appear around the beginning of June and the threat often lingers until the end of November. The threat peaks from August to September, but home and business owners should stay cautious throughout the five months.
How Many Storms to Expect per Season
Colorado State University (CSU) has predicted there will be 13 storms to hit Texas in 2023, just below the 30-year average of 14 storms. The data considers water temperatures in the North Atlantic ocean, as well as wind speed, direction and pattern in the region.
One unpredictable in the reliability of the forecast is the El Niño weather pattern predicted to occur this year. The severity of El Niño will determine whether the number of hurricanes falls below or above the usual average. Only time will tell as the year progresses, so stay in tune to any El Niño weather updates as well. Read on to learn more about El Niño.
How Strong Will These Storms Be?
According to University College London, the accumulated cyclone energy index (ACE) for 2023 is a rating of 104. For context, the 70-year average has been a rating of 105, while the 30-year norm is 122. This tells us that not only will there be slightly fewer hurricanes in 2023, but they will be of a slightly lesser strength.
What is El Niño?
According to the National Geographic Society, "El Niño is a climate pattern that describes the unusual warming of surface waters in the eastern equatorial Pacific Ocean. Trade winds and atmosphere are also impacted by El Niño." This weather pattern directly correlates to the occurrence of hurricanes in Texas, as it concerns warmer weather in the North Atlantic, which mixes with cooler northerly temperatures.
This upcoming El Niño event will follow the cooler La Niña pattern, which we have experienced over the previous three winters. El Niño is known to occur irregularly at anywhere from two- to seven-year intervals. While the irregular occurrence makes it harder to prepare for El Niño, the fact it can continue for several years makes it easier to prepare for its recurrence.
The Climate Prediction Centre by the National Weather Service has revised its forecast of when El Niño may occur in 2023. The chances of it beginning from May-July have now increased to 62%. Additionally, the chances of it becoming a "strong El Niño" have risen above 80%.
Where Will They Hit
Unfortunately, it's relatively impossible to predict where a given hurricane may land during the coming season. Over the past 30 years, 35 weather systems have made landfall over Texan territory. Of these storms – ranging in grade from tropical depressions to grade 5 storms – 24 have crossed the coast of Texas and 12 of them have done so as a tropical storm. While their geographical patterns have been sporadic, there has been a slight tendency to land between Corpus Christi and Galveston.
How to Prepare
Gather supplies that cater for every member of your household or business, making sure to consider the length of your stay in the event of a hurricane. We suggest enough resources to last three to five days in your given location. These should include non-perishable foods, first-aid supplies, prescriptions, pet supplies, flashlights and batteries. It's easy to forget that hurricanes can easily knock out power supplies, so keep your devices charged just in case with a portable charger on hand.
Review your insurance policy to be sure that you are covered in an emergency. The last thing anyone needs after surviving a hurricane is to find out that they have an enormous bill to pay to recover.
Have an evacuation plan. While it's highly recommended to stay indoors while the storm rages outside, an evacuation plan is paramount in case you do have time to remove yourself from the situation. This may involve a short trip to a local shelter, or a second residence further inland.
Additionally, the Texas General Land Office has a helpful list of other tips to prepare for a hurricane, including signing up for alerts and listening into the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) Weather Radio. These will provide up to date information on any threatening weather systems as they develop.
OnPoint Cares
While we may be a humble power provider, we do care about our customers and their safety in a storm. We highly recommend that you get in touch with experts and authorities if you have any further questions – they will offer up-to-date information to keep you safe this hurricane season. Even though we can expect a below-average hurricane season, it never hurts to be prepared. With our blogs, we will help you be ready for any weather occurrence.