GREAT BAY, St. Maarten – On September 2 Colorado State University hurricane forecasters Phil Klotzbach and William Gray came out with their September month prediction and pointed out that September will bring above-average activity with five named storms making it a quite active month.
Four of the five storms will become hurricanes with two reaching major hurricane status with winds over 111 miles per hour.
Currently there are three storm systems in the Caribbean and Atlantic Ocean area, namely Tropical Storm Hanna, Ike and Josephine.
“Tropical Storm Ike according to weather forecasting models is expected to pass well North of the North Eastern Caribbean islands which includes St. Maarten, but it’s too soon to be sure, and therefore residents should continue to pay attention and monitor weather reports.
“We must be mindful of the fact that we are only half way through the 2008 hurricane season. We must therefore remain alert and prepared,” Chairman of the Emergency Operations Center (EOC) Governor Franklyn Richards told the Government Information Service (GIS) on Wednesday.
Governor Richards reminds residents to be prepared as the 2008 hurricane season continues to become more active. “These storm systems are forming very quickly one behind the next and one may not have much time to take the appropriate measures to protect their home and business.
“You are once again urged to clean up anything around your yards that could become airborne and make sure your disaster plan is in place and your disaster kit has at least three days of supplies (eg water, canned food etc),” EOC Chairman Governor Richards once again reiterated.
Tropical storm systems that have already formed for the season are Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay and Gustav. June and July were very active, with three named storms forming during the two-month period: Bertha, Cristobal and Dolly.
Bertha became the longest-lived July storm on record. August had slightly above-average activity, largely because of Hurricane Gustav according to Colorado State University forecasters.
The hurricane season runs through November 30.
