Tomorrow marks the official beginning of hurricane season, but Florida's west coast already got the party started a little early this year with Memorial Day weekend's Subtropical Storm Alberto. The blow didn't have too much of an impact here in the Bay area, but when added on top of two very active seasons in 2016 and '17, it's definitely re-emphasized the idea that maybe local residents need to do a little more than lay in an extra couple of cases of beer and a battery-operated blender this summer.
According to a survey conducted by AAA in April and released today, plenty of Floridians didn't need Alberto's reminder to begin readying earlier and more seriously for hurricane season this year. Eighty-one percent of Florida residents polled responded that they were making advance preparations this year, up 23 percent from a similar 2016 survey.
What's more, 78 percent said they would evacuate if warned to do so — which, if you live in a bustling-yet-chill Bay area neighborhood like mine, seems astronomically high — though more than half of those folks said it would take at least a Category 3 storm to get them out.
Whether or you prefer to hunker down or GTFO, AAA says certain preparatory steps, like stocking emergency supplies, making sure your home is hurricane-ready, taking an inventory of your stuff and having a well-defined plan, are non-negotiable. And it seems more Floridians than ever are taking them seriously.
This article appears in May 31 – Jun 7, 2018.