MARTIN COUNTY — Forecasters are predicting a below-normal Atlantic hurricane season this year, but Martin County emergency officials say residents should not let their guard down.
Sally Waite, director of Martin County Emergency Management, said current forecasts call for fewer storms than average, though those projections may change as the season progresses.
"They are predicting a below normal hurricane season this year, with eight to 14 named storms, three to six hurricanes, and one to three major storms. And these predictions will change throughout the hurricane season as well," Waite said.
Waite said the quieter outlook is largely tied to El Niño conditions, which typically make it more difficult for hurricanes to develop in the Atlantic. Still, she cautioned that major storms have formed during previous El Niño years and have had significant impacts in Florida.
"The reason for the below normal activity is El Niño. El Niño increases the upper-level wind shear across the Atlantic Ocean, and it is historically associated with fewer Atlantic hurricanes. But I just want to point out that Hurricane Andrew in 1992 devastated Miami, and Frances and Jeanne in 2004 both had an impact in Martin County, and all three of those storms were in an El Niño cycle," she said.
County officials have continued preparing for the season by training employees, coordinating with partner agencies and educating the public.
"We've held 14 trainings, 11 exercises, and trained over 483 employees and partners," Waite said. "We also go out to the community to prepare them as well. This year, so far, we still have a long list to go, we've held 11 events, reaching over 600 people. If you'd like an outreach event for your community or HOA, you can contact us and we'd be glad to come out and give you one."
Waite encouraged residents to know their evacuation routes, prepare an emergency kit with essentials such as food, water, medications, clothing and first-aid supplies, and coordinate plans with neighbors and family members before a storm threatens.
She also emphasized that shelters are intended for those with no safer alternative.
"We have eight general population shelters in Martin County, one special needs shelter, and one pet-friendly shelter. Not all shelters are open for every storm," she said. "A shelter is a lifeboat, not a cruise ship. It should be your last resort."
If a major storm causes widespread damage, Waite said the county is prepared to distribute emergency supplies through points of distribution.
"We actually put up points of distribution, we call them PODs," she said. "The last one we had during Hurricane Milton for the tornadoes was at the fairgrounds, and the National Guard came down and helped us deliver food, water and ice. We also had many nonprofit organizations such as the Salvation Army distributing food to our communities as well."