STORM SEASON
ABC Action News Meteorologist Denis Phillips Talks Hurricane Season Prep, What to Expect and Rule #7 by Brie Gorecki
Summer is here and school is out, which means it’s time for some fun in the sun. Though most people are excited about summer vacation, one thing we Floridians don’t look forward to is hurricane season.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30, and whether you’ve lived in Florida your whole life or are new to the sunshine state, it can be nerve-wracking. ABC Action News meteorologist Denis Phillips has been forecasting the weather for over 30 years and has been through countless hurricanes and tropical storms. He recently talked to us about what to expect for this year, how you can prepare and ease your kids’ minds, and why his catchphrase, “Rule #7,” has become a household saying.
TBPM: What are the predictions for the 2022 storm season? DP: The general feeling is that there’s going to be an above average year yet again. Most folks are going between maybe 18 and 23 named storms, in that ballpark. Average is 14 now. It’s interesting because even a few years ago, the average was only 10 or 11, but what happens is when you look at that average, all they do is just take the last 30 years and average those out and determine what a typical year is. So clearly in the last 30 years, we’ve been more active than in previous years. And because of that, the average has gone from 10 to 11 and now it’s up to 14 per year. So, it’s still expected to be above average. But it’s important to remember that even if a lot of hurricanes develop, that doesn’t necessarily mean they’re going to strike land. They could be out in the middle of the ocean.
TBPM: What would you say to someone who’s new to the area and this is their very first hurricane season? DP: It’s all about preparation. You don’t want to be the person that, two days out, is heading to Home Depot or Lowe’s and trying to get plywood or supplies. I think anybody who’s lived here for a long time knows that once we get a couple
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of days out, it’s almost impossible to get supplies. Hurricane season starts in early June, and that’s really when you should start putting together a plan: whether it’s a gallon of water per person, per day, whether it’s LED lights, or whether it’s an extra charger for your phone.
Anybody who went through Irma who tried to get a hotel if they waited two or three days out had to drive to Atlanta because those are some of the closest hotels. I mean, it’s pretty much impossible if you wait that far out. The kits and the preps should pretty much be done by June 1.
I mean all those things kind of come together, and if you have them in advance, they might come in handy if we lose power during a thunderstorm. But clearly, for a prolonged power outage, you want to have the supplies in advance, because again, trying to get it done last minute, it’s almost impossible around here.
TBPM: What do you personally do to prepare your family for hurricane season?
I get it—lot of folks procrastinate and a lot of folks are going to wait, but again, it’s just one less thing on your mind, because when you see a storm coming in, the panic factor increases by tenfold and you’re trying to keep your head on straight. Knowing what you’ll need and what you won’t—it’s just a lot easier to have it done in advance. There’s plenty of hurricane kit checklists and whatnot out there so you can pretty much have a good idea of what you need for your family.
TBPM: Is there anything we should wait on doing until we know for sure a storm is heading our way? DP: Honestly, the only thing that you might want to wait on is obviously trying to get hotel reservations prior to when a storm makes landfall.
DP: We have a kit in advance. We also have a generator. I know some folks can afford generators, some can’t. The most important thing to remember EVER if you’re going to have a generator is: After a storm, if you’re out of power, you never ever want to use that generator in your garage or anywhere in your house. It’s got to be outside because unfortunately, every single time there’s a hurricane, we hear about people who lose their lives from carbon monoxide poisoning. It just happens, and it’s tragic. It doesn’t have to happen. For my family personally, we get everything done in advance. We have our LED lights; we have our first aid kits; we have our water. We pretty much have it all ready because once there’s a storm coming near us, I certainly will be the person who will be at work for days on end and I won’t be able to be with my family. So, if they’re not evacuating, if they’re just staying put because the situation warrants, I want to make sure that they’re safe as well.
