Cited: MSNBC

The Atlantic hurricane season began on June 1 and it may be a busy one with more than 23 named tropical storms predicted, including up to 7 major hurricanes, according to the US government.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted that eight to 14 storms would strengthen into hurricanes, with top winds of 74 mph (119 kph) or higher. Three to seven of those could become major storms that reach Category 3 or higher — meaning they bring sustained winds of at least 111 mph (179 kph).

“If this outlook holds true, this season could be one of the more active on record,” NOAA administrator Jane Lubchenco said in a statement. “The greater likelihood of storms brings an increased risk of a landfall. In short, we urge everyone to be prepared.”

A hurricane might help break up the oil spill staining the Gulf of Mexico, but the oil won’t affect significantly how tropical storms develop, forecasters said. They don’t know what kind of environmental hazards to expect, though there are fears that winds and waves could push the oil deeper into estuaries and wetlands — possibly destroying the coastal marshes that act as a buffer against catastrophic storm surges.

Government scientists said Thursday that anywhere from 500,000 gallons to 1 million gallons a day has been leaking from the site where an oil rig exploded April 20, killing 11 people. BP PLC, which leased the rig and is responsible for the cleanup and the Coast Guard previously had estimated the flow was about 210,000 gallons per day.

The expanding slick already has coated wildlife and marshes in Louisiana, but Lubchenco said the spill is still small relative to hurricanes — which sometimes can span the entire Gulf.

‘Don’t take anything for granted’

Although some oil could be pushed inland by a storm as it makes landfall, it could be difficult to determine whether it leaked from flooded cars or factories, Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Craig Fugate said.

The 2010 government forecast is based on the weakening of El Nino. The Pacific Ocean phenomenon created strong wind shear that helped suppress storm development in the Atlantic last season. Record warm water temperatures also will feed storms crossing the Atlantic this year.

Three hurricanes developed out of nine tropical storms in 2009. None of the hurricanes came ashore in the United States. Hurricane Ida hit Nicaragua as a Category 1 storm in November.

Florida Gov. Charlie Crist urged coastal residents to remember the destruction left in the wake of hurricanes in 2004 and 2005.

Off Topic Breach: Looting can be a problem after any natural disaster. Many people can be arrested who have done nothing because of looting. If you’re one of these people you may need to contact a Texas criminal defense attorney. If you or loved one has been arrested, a Dallas drug crimes lawyer is here to assist you.

“Don’t take anything for granted,” Crist said at the annual Florida Governor’s Hurricane Conference in Fort Lauderdale. “We don’t need to suffer from hurricane amnesia.”

‘Hell of a year’ for hurricanes, experts warn.

National Hurricane Center Director Bill Read said Wednesday that his biggest concern for the season is a storm striking Haiti, where hundreds of thousands of people have been living in makeshift camps since the Jan. 12 earthquake. Heavy rains can trigger serious flooding and mudslides in the mountainous Caribbean country, but no evacuation plans exist for displaced communities.

Tropical storms are named when their sustained winds reach 39 mph. The first named storm of the 2010 season will be Alex.

In April, Colorado State University researchers predicted 15 named storms would form this season, with four developing into major hurricanes.

From June 1 to November 30, the Atlantic hurricane season will reign over the seas.

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My Take: I am glad that I do not live on the East Coast. It seems the people that live on the East Coast during the hurricane season have a lot to worry about. If they happen to get hit by a hurricane, they have to do a lot of repairs. Right now, I live in a mobile home and that would probably mean replacing it if I lived in East Coast.

I have seen news reports of the aftermath of hurricane and it does not look like fun. A lot of those people have to do Littleton CO basement remodeling because it’s flooded. I would love to have a house with a basement, out West where you really don’t have hurricanes. At least out West, basement remodeling Colorado would not entail repairing water damage, unless a water pipe broke.

I can just imagine what the insurance rates are for homes and cars in hurricane alley. I would definitely want to get several car insurance quote online just to get the cheapest. Then again, cheap auto insurance is hard to come by if you have a lot of tickets, which I do not have. You probably could not get cheap home insurance either. At least after the storm is over the wrecked cars can be towed away. A damaged house stays put. Car disposal is so much easier than house disposal, with a house you have to rebuild.

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Other Resources

Storm Doors

A storm door is a type of door that is installed in front of an exterior access door to protect it from bad weather and allow ventilation. Storm doors typically have interchangeable glass panels and window screen panels to provide visibility and prevent flying insects from entering the home. Adding a storm door can be a good investment if your existing front entry door is old but still in good condition. You could, however, replace the old door with one of the various decorative glass door and a for added beauty.

Doors and windows are the primary access points to any home, no matter its size. This makes them the most vital aspect in home security. There are steps that you can take to keep these entry points to the home safe and secure. For windows, this may include locking shutters to bars. For wooden entry doors, this may include a security framework to a thicker door.

You should make sure that your windows are secure; you need to examine the doors in your home. You need to make sure that you have a strong locking system on the exterior wood doors of your home. This includes the doors that you do not regularly use as well. Install deadbolt locks on the exterior doors. Remember, these locks will not improve your security if you do not use them.

An important consideration is the strength of your doors. An excellent deadbolt is not going to prevent someone from kicking in a weak door. Of course, you could go the extra expense and install security doors that are specifically designed to be kick proof, which would improve the strength of the door. You would also have to improve the strength of the doorframe as well. All you really need to do is reinforce your existing wood entry doors and their frames. This would be a little bit cheaper than expensive security doors.

When you order your door, if it has glass in it, request it have the stronger reinforced glass instead. You could also request that Plexiglas be used although, this can be easily scratched. Reinforced class is extremely difficult to break and better for security of your home.

If you have sliding glass doors, the best thing you can do for security purposes is to replace them with regular doors. The glass is extremely easy to break and again, Plexiglas is lighter and stronger but scratches easily. Thieves find it very easy to lift these doors out of the frames to get into your home. Even if you place a metal bar in the track to prevent the door from being opened, it can be lifted out by a good thief.