Hurricane Preparedness Week 2010

May 23 - May 29, 2010

Hurricane Preparedness Week

Fig 1. 2009 Tropical Storm Summary - Courtesy NOAA

First in a Series ... Read Entire Series    May Archive

The goal of NOAA's Hurricane Preparedness Web site is to inform the public about the hurricane hazards and provide knowledge which can be used to take ACTION. This information can be used to save lives at work, home, while on the road, or on the water.

May 23 - History

We kick off the 2010 Hurricane Preparedness Week today with a look at the history. View the 2009 Tropical Cyclone Archive here. The 2009 Atlantic hurricane season produced nine named storms, of which three became hurricanes and two became major hurricanes. Contrasting this with the 50 year average (1950-2000) of eleven named storms, six hurricanes, and two major hurricanes, 2009 was only the second below normal year since the current high activity era for Atlantic hurricanes began in 1995.

Fig. 1. Tracks of Atlantic named storms during 2009. Shading corresponds to strength of maximum sustained surface wind speeds, with green indicating tropical depression intensity (< 39 mph), yellow indicating tropical storm (TS) intensity (39-73 mph), red indicating hurricane (H, cat. 1-2) intensity, and magenta indicating major hurricane(MH, cat. 3-5) intensity).

There was a sharp decrease in the number of landfalling named storms compared to 2008 with Claudette making landfall in the United States and Ida making landfall as a hurricane in Nicaragua.  Tropical storm Erika passed through the northern Caribbean Islands while weakening, and Hurricane Bill brushed Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Not the storm you are looking for?  Click Image or Here

Some Infamous Atlantic Storms

• Hurricane Katrina (2005) – PDF – MS-Word
• Hurricane Gordon (1994)
• Hurricane Andrew (1992)
• Hurricane Hugo (1989)
• Hurricane Gilbert (1988)
• Hurricane Camille (1969)
• Other famous Atlantic storms (in our Hurricane History pages)

NHC Archive of Hurricane Seasons

Central North Pacific Hurricane History (1800s - present)

(Compiled by the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, Honolulu). 

We will continue coverage of Hurricane Preparedness Week by looking at some of the hazards starting tomorrow.  Additional Hurricane information can be found in our static Weather tab.

Tsunami Awareness Week

When Seconds Count, TsunamiReady™  Communities are Prepared

Tsunami Awareness Week, March 21-27

Just about a month ago, we were reporting in our article, Powerful Quake Hits Chile Tsunami Alert, that following the devastating earthquake in Chile, there was eminent danger, across the globe, of a Tsunami that formed in the wake of that quake.  Less than six months ago another tsunami hit American Samoa.  Unfortunately both events resulted in loss of life and property.

The National Weather Service and the National Tsunami Hazard Mitigation Program have created a TsunamiReady™ website and launched an awareness program.  To kick off this new initiative, the NWS announced the first ever Tsunami Awareness Week which is currently in progress.

As part of tsunami awareness week, NOAA’s National Weather Service will host open houses at its tsunami warning centers in Alaska and Hawaii, and many coastal states will host community tsunami awareness activities.

The National Weather Service operates a tsunami warning system for the United States, U.S. territories and western Canada through two tsunami warning centers, in Palmer, Alaska, and Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The centers, staffed 24/7, issue tsunami warning, advisory, watch and information messages as early as five to fifteen minutes after an earthquake. Upon receipt of tsunami messages, state and local emergency management agencies determine the appropriate response including whether or not to evacuate people from the warned area.   (Read complete Press Release)   Tsunami Awareness Week Information

Click on the Weather   tab above for more information about the following topics:   Hurricanes, Typhoons, Tsunamis, Tides & Currents.  When breaking weather news occurs, the links provided there can be used to obtain up to the minute information.  

Warning Signs of a Tsunami

• A strong earthquake, or one that persists for 20 seconds or longer
• The ocean withdraws, exposing the sea floor
• A loud, roaring sound (like an airplane or a train) coming from the ocean
• Tsunami warnings broadcast over television and radio, by beach lifeguards, community sirens, text message alerts, National Weather Service tsunami warning center Web sites and on NOAA Weather Radio All Hazards

What You Should Do if You See These Signs

• Remain calm
• Move inland to higher ground
• Continue to monitor media sources for information
• Stay away from the beach until officials issue an “all clear" — Remember that a tsunami may be a series of waves over a period of several hours

We encourage you to learn more about Tsunamis and their dangers, especially if you live or visit coastal areas where the danger could exist.   See if your community is TsunamiReady™.

Streamwood Summer Celebration - Exclusive Princess Sale

Streamwood Summer Celebration

Princess Cruise Sale Thru August 1st

If you are in the Greater Chicagoland area, the village of Streamwood is holding their annual Summer Celebration this coming weekend. The festival starts Friday, July 24th and runs through Sunday, July 26th.

We will have a booth in the Expo Tent. Expo hours are different from the fair, so be sure to check the schedule. The fair grounds are located at Hoosier Grove Park, 700 W. Irving Park Road, Streamwood. More details about the Streamwood Summer Celebration.

We have setup an Exclusive One Week Princess Cruise Sale in conjunction with the celebration. This sale offers great savings and exciting extras including reduced $100 pp deposits and onboard coupon book worth up to $325 in onboard services. More information about the coupon book (click here).

Besides the coupon book, we still have block space on several Princess Cruise itineraries to popular destinations. If you book one of those select sailings, you'll also receive an onboard credit and other exciting offers.

Book between July 25 - August 1st

to take advantage of this Exclusive Cruise Sale. Visit us at the Expo, email, or call for more details. I hope to meet those of you who are in the area at the Summer Celebration.

Yachts of Seabourn - One Week Sale

Yachts of Seabourn

One Week Sale

Book one of the below cruises aboard The Yachts of Seabourn with extraordinary savings of up to 65%. You will sail aboard an intimate yacht and enjoy all-suite accommodations, personalized service and an atmosphere of sophisticated ease. With special fares from just $1,349, don't miss this exceptional value. It's the perfect opportunity for you to experience the winner of the World's Best Small-Ship Cruise Line*.

But hurry, the sale begins today, Monday, July 13 and lasts just one week

Caribbean Getaway • Seabourn Spirit
DEC 16, 2009 • 5 days Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Atlantic Sunsets • Seabourn Spirit
NOV 15, 2009 • 12 days Lisbon, Portugal to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Belize, Panama & Costa Rica • Seabourn Legend
NOV 23, 2009 • 14 days Fort Lauderdale, Florida to Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica

Caribbean Tapestry • Seabourn Odyssey
NOV 28, 2009 • 12 days Round-trip Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Costa Rica, Panama & Belize • Seabourn Legend
DEC 7, 2009 • 14 days Puerto Caldera, Costa Rica to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

Asian Capitals & Vietnam • Seabourn Pride
FEB 13 or MAR 13, 2010 • 14 days Singapore to Hong Kong, China

Asian Capitals & Vietnam II • Seabourn Pride
FEB 27, 2010 • 14 days Hong Kong, China to Singapore

Caribbean Gems • Seabourn Legend
MAR 20, 2010 • 5 days Round-trip Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas

Caribbean Gems • Seabourn Legend
MAR 25, 2010 • 7 days Charlotte Amalie, St. Thomas to Fort Lauderdale, Florida

To learn more about the Yachts of Seabourn, consult the overview on my website.