Hurricane Beryl: Beryl’s peak maximum sustained winds of 166 mph stood as the most powerful ever recorded for an Atlantic hurricane before August. It marked the earliest Category 4 hurricane and Category 5 hurricane on record, also becoming a hurricane farther east in the Atlantic than any other known hurricane. Beryl unleashed chaos in Grenada and the southern Windward Islands, leaving up to 98% of the infrastructure on the islands of Carriacou and Petite Martinique in ruins, resulting in over $430 million in damages. Making landfall in Texas as a Category 1 hurricane with sustained winds of 82 mph and higher gusts, Beryl spawned 65 confirmed tornadoes between Texas and New York. The U.S. attributed 48 deaths to Beryl, including 14 direct fatalities in Texas, Louisiana, and Vermont. Among the direct casualties caused by Beryl were eight in St. Vincent and the Grenadines, six in Venezuela, and three each in Grenada and Jamaica. Hurricane Debby was observed over Florida from NOAA’s GOES-East satellite at 9:10 a.m. on Monday, August 5, 2024. Hurricane Debby: Debby made landfall in Taylor County on August 5 — in a region of Florida known as the Big Bend, where the coast curves southward from the Panhandle — as a Category 1 hurricane. Debby traversed Florida and Georgia, then struck South Carolina as a subtropical storm. Sarasota, Florida reported rainfall amounts as high as 16.98 inches, with 10-15 inches of rainfall in the Tampa Bay region. Widespread rain was observed, with maximum reports up to 10-12 inches across northern Florida and rainfall amounts ranging from 10 to 20 inches across Georgia and the Carolinas. Moncks Corner, South Carolina, reported a peak rainfall of 22.02 inches, while Brunswick County, North Carolina, recorded 15.75 inches. Debby’s severe flooding was held responsible for 18 fatalities and $4 billion in damages. Get ready with a disaster plan. It is never too early to commence planning for hurricane season. Start contemplating your personal disaster plans and go bags now if you reside in a hurricane-prone area. Regardless of last year’s impact, your region might face similar challenges this year. Just inquire the residents of Steinhatchee in Taylor County, Florida, who encountered three hurricanes in 13 months. Emergency Prep 101: What to include in your “Go Bag.” Curious about the storm names for 2025? Here is a sneak peek at the storm names for the season commencing on June 1 and concluding on December 1: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dexter, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Imelda, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Reb
