Prepping for 2019 hurricane season through the lens of 2018

May 29, 2019 | Aon

The 2019 Atlantic hurricane season officially starts on June 1. While severe weather knows no season and can disrupt travelers’ plans at any time, looking back at 2018 and pulling out lessons is a great way to successfully prepare for this year.

In total, the 2018 season brought 15 named storms, including eight hurricanes, and was the third in a consecutive series of above-average and damaging hurricane seasons. Hurricanes Florence and Michael were particularly destructive, causing upwards of $50 billion in damage, according to the National Hurricane Center.

For travelers, there are three specific lessons to be learned:

Take seasonal projections with a grain of salt – the 2018 season ended up exceeding NOAA’s definition of an average season: 12 named storms and six hurricanes categorized as a three to five. Seasonal predictions are useful to an extent, but should never be a crutch for not adequately preparing, especially when recent history has shown that the severity of each season is breaking records and worsening.
Rainfall is as big a threat as wind – Hurricane Florence was a ‘wet’ storm, dumping a record-breaking trillions of gallons of rain in the Carolinas. For this hurricane, the biggest threat wasn’t wind speed, it was rainfall levels. Many people erroneously thought that once the storm’s category was lowered the danger had passed, when in reality it lingered with the ongoing rainfall.
Be smart about the numbers – the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale gives storms a one to five rating based on a hurricane’s sustained wind speed. Many people will use a storm’s category as the basis of their decision to take action. For example, people may make the mental decision to not taken action, such as evacuate the area, when a storm is a level three, when really there is little difference in the damage outcomes between a high-end category three or a low-level category four storm. This was especially evident with Hurricane Michael.

Each of these lessons can come in handy for travelers – both when they are planning their summer vacations and in the moment when a storm is barreling down. One key way to be prepared is to purchase travel insurance, which is designed to offer protection against losses caused by a broad range of unexpected events, including severe weather and/ or natural disasters.

While coverage varies, some trip cancellation plans can reimburse costs if you are forced to cancel due to a hurricane affecting your destination during your scheduled time of travel. However, travelers should note that some plans could require that a storm be named, and/or be affecting your specific destination during the time of travel, and not just headed close to the general geographic location. In addition, some plans provide benefits such as Cancel For Any Reason, or waiver of certain exclusions, but only when the plan is purchased within a set timeframe relative to the travel booking.

Year after year, hurricanes serve as a deadly reminder that nature and the weather is unpredictable and that humans are ultimately at the mercy of the storm. The effects of such storms can sting particularly harshly when on the road. Being educated, making savvy decisions and protecting your plans and trip investment can have a significant payoff for safety and peace of mind.

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