June 1 marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season and the Connecticut State Library is ready! HURRICANE SEASON 2014 June 1 marks the beginning of the Atlantic hurricane season and the Connecticut State Library is ready! Whether you prefer your forecast from The Old Farmers Almanac or The National Weather Service or you want to research historic disasters, we have resources! As both a state and federal documents depository, the Connecticut State Library offers a wide array of information on both local and national weather topics. New As Hurricanes Katrina and Sandy reminded us, a storm surge is often the greatest threat to life and property from a tropical storm or hurricane. In May, 2014, The National Hurricane Center announced a new initiative, Experimental Potential Storm Surge Flooding Map, which will show the risk associated with the storm surge hazard from a tropical cyclone. The map will be released with issuance of the first storm watch or warning that has potential of a storm surge. The National Weather Service welcomes user feedback with an online survey. Enhancements to the Tropical Weather Outlook and Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook - During the 2013 hurricane season, NHC extended the time period covered in the Tropical Weather Outlook text product (TWO) to 5 days on an experimental basis. This year, the experimental 5-day TWO forecasts become operational, and the form of the TWO will change slightly. In addition, NHC will introduce an experimental corresponding 5-day Graphical Tropical Weather Outlook (GTWO) to accompany the text product. These are not the only new resource from NHC. For more, see Update on NHC Products and Services for 2014 The National Flood Insurance Program - Information on the NFIP. The Homeowner Flood Insurance Affordability Act of 2014 was signed into law March 21, 2014. This law repeals and modifies certain provisions of the Biggert-Waters Flood Insurance Reform Act, which was enacted in 2012. Region I - Mitigation- Floodplain Management and Insurance - The Floodplain Management and Insurance Branch administers the floodplain management and insurance aspects of the National Flood Insurance Program (NFIP). These programs focus on state and local building codes and zoning regulations to assure that development and substantial improvements located in the floodplain are constructed so as to prevent or minimize future flood damage. “Female Hurricanes Are Deadlier Than Male Hurricanes” PNAS 2014 ; published ahead of print June 2, 2014, doi:10.1073/pnas.1402786111. “Feminine-named hurricanes (vs. masculine-named hurricanes) cause significantly more deaths, apparently because they lead to lower perceived risk and consequently less preparedness. Using names such as Eloise or Charlie for referencing hurricanes has been thought by meteorologists to enhance the clarity and recall of storm information. We show that this practice also taps into well-developed and widely held gender stereotypes, with potentially deadly consequences. Implications are discussed for understanding and shaping human responses to natural hazard warnings.” Prepare The best way to limit the impact of a hurricane is to be prepared.
Posted on: Mon, 09 Jun 2014 13:48:49 +0000