Introduction

Action Checklist
Terms to Know
Hurricane Names
Saffer-Simpson Hurricane Scale
List of Helpful Web Sites

Please note: Most of the information appearing on these pages was adapted from the http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/disaster_prevention.shtml web site.

Introduction

Hurricanes, there are no other storms like them in the atmosphere. They breed in warm tropical waters, require a complex combination of atmospheric processes to grow, mature, and then die . They are not the largest storm systems in our atmosphere or the most violent, but they combine these qualities as no other phenomenon does.

In the Atlantic Basin, they are called hurricanes, a term that echoes colonial Spanish and Caribbean Indian words for evil spirits and big winds. These awesome storms have been a deadly problem for residents and sailors ever since the early days of colonization. 

Today, hurricane damage costs billions of dollars. During this century, 23 hurricanes have each caused damage in excess of $1 billion (adjusted for inflation). 

Even though the number of people injured or killed during hurricanes in the United States has been declining, our risk from them is increasing.  With population and development continuing to increase along costal areas, greater numbers of people and property are vulnerable to hurricane threat.

Hurricanes cannot be controlled,
but our vulnerability can be reduced through preparedness

Evacuation Passes are currently available to all Sunset Beach homeowners.  You must have this pass to enter back into the Town once you have evacuated during a hurricane.  They can be picked up at Town Hall at a cost of $3.00 (only two per dwelling unit allowed)!

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