By LISA S. KING
FN Asst. Editor
lisa@nasguard
As another hurricane season approaches, Chief Meteoro-logist Donna Duncombe revealed yesterday that a busy hurricane season is being forecasted for 2007.
There are only two more weeks left before the Atlantic hurricane period begins and weather experts are predicting that an above average amount of activities will take place within this year.
For 2007, there are 17 named storms with nine of them being forecasted to result in hurricanes. Of that number, five are being predicted to be intense.
Speaking to members of the Rotary Club of Freeport during their weekly meeting at Ruby Swiss, Duncombe said many forecasters believe that 2007 will be a very serious year for hurricanes and that the level of activity being predicted will come true.
She said perhaps they are certain of their forecast because of a pre-season storm (Tropical Storm Andrea) that developed in the Atlantic a week ago.
"This just reinforces the point that we as residents in Grand Bahama who are in the hurricane zone, must continue to ensure that our level of preparedness is at a good level," she said. "It must be maintained and if not, it must be improved."
Duncombe said the amount of hurricanes in the 2005 season and 2006 season stayed out to sea and later dissipated. This, she said, can lead to complacency where those who are supposed to prepare, become slack concerning their preparations and begin to believe that no storms will come to the island.
"Don't let that sense of complacency invade us," she said. "Let it be that we as residents here in Grand Bahama will always be vigilant, be prepared and have a sensible plan. We are well on our way to another season. It is through preparation and planning that lives are saved."
The Chief Meteorologist said prior to the hurricanes that devastated Grand Bahama in 2004 and 2005, Grand Bahama experienced no hurricane activity for many years.
However, after Hurricane Floyd in 1999, a new trend developed where a frequent amount of activity began taking place around and near the island as well as other islands in the north.
Duncombe said the 2004 hurricane season has been recorded as the most deadliest and costliest Atlantic hurricane period ever, with at least 3,000 deaths occurring during the time of Hurricane Jeanne in Haiti. An estimated $40 billion plus in damage was also noted. Memorable storms during that time were Hurricanes Frances, Jeanne, Charlie and Ivan.
She said the 2005 hurricane season was the most active season she had ever seen with some 28 named storms being given and of those 28 named storms, a record was shattered with 15 hurricanes coming into being. Of those storms, there are two of them that many wish never happened and that is Hurricane Wilma and Hurricane Katrina.
Wilma wreaked havoc on the south western part of Grand Bahama and Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, Louisiana and parts of Mississippi.
The 2006 hurricane season, Duncombe said was a bit of a flop. There were nine named storms with five of them turning out to be hurricanes Surprisingly, four of them took place the same time in the month of September, making the entire season a 'big bust.' Fortunately, Grand Bahama did not experience any hurricane activity at that time.
Duncombe said for six months out of the year, Grand Bahamians are threatened by possible hurricanes coming to our shores.
She said preparing for a hurricane is not about the six hour or 12 hour event, but preparing for the aftermath.
"When the hurricanes have passed, my job was finished, but as community service persons, you had to go out there and try to get our communities back in order," she said.
She commended the Rotary Clubs on Grand Bahama for being well ahead of the game as their community projects, water projects and their hurricane relief fund projects have come to the aid of many.
She urged them to keep up the good work as community service oriented persons, reminding them that they have to stay on the ball so that others would be encouraged.
Duncombe said during the hurricane season, residents are being urged to listen to the local radio and TV stations. The Bahamas Meteorological Department is the official voice and authority for advisories issued for the islands of The Bahamas and the Turks and Caicos.
"People say the weather office is always saying the same old thing, but the one thing that I must say again, we live in the hurricane zone, so the message will be repeated over and over again," she said. "We must take the threat of living in this hurricane zone very seriously and we must continue to prepare as the count down is on."
BE PREPARED — Chief Meteorologist Donna Duncombe of the Freeport Weather Service addresses members of the Rotary Club of Freeport yesterday during their weekly meeting at the Ruby Swiss Restaurant. Duncombe urged Rotarians present to encourage everyone that they come in contact with to be ready for any impending hurricanes this season. (Photo by JENNEVA RUSSELL)
