Will Hurricane Season Be Starting Earlier?

No, you’re not going crazy. The current six-month Atlantic Hurricane Season, set in 1965, begins June 1 and runs through November 30. But if you have a recreational boat on the Eastern Seaboard or Gulf, you’ve likely noticed that the last seven annual hurricane seasons have experienced some type of tropical storm system in May – or earlier. Those early forming storms are now leading the National Weather Service to consider officially moving the hurricane season up two weeks to May 15. What’s a boater to do?

“You can’t change hurricane season, but you can set up a customized hurricane plan for your boat now,” says Scott Croft, Boat Owners Association of The United States (BoatUS) vice president, Public Affairs.

Researchers from Colorado State University are predicting another active Atlantic hurricane season for 2022 with 19 named storms and nine expected to reach hurricane strength (winds of 74 mph or greater). BoatUS notes it is the wind-driven storm surge of water that causes the most damage to recreational vessels as docks and infrastructure are torn apart and lowland boat storage areas flood.

READ MORE at boatus.com