Page 16 - AHATA

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local Saturday 14 June 2025
Aruba is once again entering hurricane season

Awareness and preparation are key for hurricane season

Hurricane season is the plained. Don’t panic—stay
time of year—usually from informed and monitor de-
June 1 to November 30— velopments. Our meteo-
when tropical or subtropi- rological department will
cal cyclones are more like- continue monitoring with
ly to form. depth and precision.

These dates mark the pe- Observations for this year
riod in which most tropical This year, the seasonal
activity occurs in what’s trade winds started a bit
called the “basin.” How- late, with strong winds only
ever, it’s important to un- beginning to register about
derstand that storms can two to three weeks ago. This
still form at any time of the may suggest that the sea-
year; the difference is sim- son “shifted slightly,” and
ply that the likelihood is in recent years—especially
much higher during this of- the past three—the hur-
ficial season. ricane season has started
1 to 2 weeks earlier. That’s
Globally, this season’s cli- due to very warm Atlantic
mate activity usually peaks waters. “In the past three
toward the end of summer, years, you could already
when the difference be- feel the heat between May
tween air temperature and and June,” Mr. Tromp ex-
ocean surface tempera- plained.
ture is greatest. In terms of
months, this tends to be He also noted that August
from late August through and September will likely
September, with peak ac- be the hottest months this
tivity around September is likely, preparation is key pecially when combined year, while June, July, and
10. Still, since this involves A common misconcep- for any unexpected sce- with lightning and thunder, August are expected to
nature, nothing is guaran- tion is that a hurricane must nario. If you do find yourself and the extent of damage be drier months. “Even if
teed—it’s all based on cal- come close to cause dam- needing to evacuate, hav- depends on its intensity. it stays dry, a strong hurri-
culations and predictions. age. However, hurricanes ing a planned route ahead It’s important to be aware cane passing near our re-
Sudden changes are al- have a wide range of ef- of time can be crucial to of this and prepare ac- gion—either in the Carib-
ways possible. fects. reaching safety. And of cordingly. DOW is doing its bean or just north of it—can
course, we should always part to prepare, as are the still bring rainy periods. One
These tropical or subtropi- Even storms that don’t include our pets in our CMO, Disaster Response event can change every-
cal cyclones that reach become hurricanes can preparation plans. Bureau, and the Aruba Me- thing,” Mr. Tromp said.
tropical storm intensity of- cause deadly flooding, teorological Department.
ten receive a name from and experts say water- Other important forms But it’s equally important “It only takes one storm to
a predetermined list. On related dangers account of preparation include for us, the community, to make it a bad season.”
average, 14 named storms for the highest number of strengthening and clean- do our part in preparing for
occur each season, with hurricane-related fatali- ing around your home. Trim the season. We’re dealing with na-
an average of 7 becoming ties. The impacts of flood- trees near your home to ture—anything is possible,
hurricanes and 3 reaching ing and wind can be felt prevent broken branches Reliable information even if the chances are
major hurricane status— both near and far from the or flying debris in strong matters small. Aruba lies just outside
Category 3 or higher on coast, and such impacts winds. Make sure you have A key piece of advice is the “hurricane belt,” but ex-
the Saffir-Simpson scale. can be very serious, wheth- the necessary materials on to always stay updated perts at the Hurricane Cen-
The most active season on er caused by a hurricane or hand in case you need to through your local meteo- ter and climate scientists
record was in 2020, with 30 tropical storm. In addition, suddenly secure windows rological service and the warn that if temperatures
named tropical cyclones. scientists note that climate and protect them from fly- National Hurricane Center. keep rising, this belt could
However, the 2005 season change means storms are ing objects. At similar wind Today, social media has expand. Our only natural
had the most hurricanes, bringing more rain, flood- speeds, it’s also important many channels that pro- advantage is our proximity
with a record 15 forming. ing, and damage faster to to bring indoors or secure vide weather information, to the coast, but you never
coastal areas. The director anything loose in your yard. which can be helpful, but know,” Mr. Tromp said.
According to news outlet of NOAA’s National Hurri- These objects can become they often lack profession-
NPR and meteorological cane Center said in a press hazards not only to your alism and may cause pan- A key takeaway from the
experts on our neighboring conference last week that house but also to nearby ic, as Mr. Tromp shared. conversation is how es-
island Curaçao, with whom especially in flood-prone homes. sential preparation is, and
Aruba collaborates on vari- areas, it is crucial to under- The panic aspect is partic- how important it is for us to
ous meteorology matters, stand that freshwater flood- Aruba Today had the op- ularly difficult for meteoro- remain aware that even if
the need for proper prepa- ing is a significant source of portunity to speak with logical services to manage. we are “safe” from a direct
ration is absolutely critical. recent losses. Aruba’s meteorologist, Mr. “A lot of disturbances come hurricane hit, other factors
With just one storm, a sea- Rodney Tromp. He shared off Africa, but not all reach or events can still cause
son can be not only active Emergency preparedness that a hurricane doesn’t us. Some may appear damage. That’s why prep-
but also potentially devas- According to experts, hav- need to hit directly to cause to be heading here in 20 aration is vital so we can be
tating for your country or ing an evacuation plan is damage. We already days, but it’s still far off, and ready to deal with whatev-
even just your neighbor- important. Whether or not know that heavy rainfall many things can change er comes our way on the
hood. you believe an evacuation can cause damage, es- in those 20 days,” he ex- island.q