ROANOKE, Va. – In April of 2023, Roanoke County native, Michael Brennan, was named the National Hurricane Center’s Director. Now, he and the 10 News Weather Authority are gearing up for another season of tracking tropical activity.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.
Forecasts from Colorado State University and from NOAA indicated a close-to-average season in terms of number of storms.
All it takes is one, however, to make it a memorable season for any that feel the affects.
Brennan tells 10 News that inland flooding has been and can be deadly in our area.
“Over the last 10 years in Virginia, there have been 14 fatalities due to tropical cyclones in some direct way, shape or form. 10 of those 14 have been due to freshwater flooding. Five of those were during Hurricane Michael.”
He also says that our terrain is what makes us susceptible to tropical systems, even though the wind may not be overly strong once they’re this far inland.
“You can have heavy rainfall that from storms that make landfall on the Atlantic coast or on the Gulf coast. Just because a storm is weakening from a wind perspective, that has almost nothing to do with how much rain you’re going to get. Rainfall is really due to how fast the storm is moving and then you have the enhancement of the topography there.”
Below is the list of names for the upcoming season.
Download our app to stay ahead of the tropics, whether you’re home or at the beach this summer.