The sheer power of a hurricane can literally blow you away. This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts three to six major hurricanes, defined as tropical storms with sustained winds of over 74 mph.
All the more reason to get, and stay, prepared, especially as the hurricane season, which began June 1, revs up in the United States. “Eye of the Storm,” a 13-part Web series about hurricanes and storm preparedness, can help. Usually, it’s an annual event held at the Museum of Discovery and Science in Fort Lauderdale. But in the face of the covid-19 crisis this year, the museum teamed up with Florida International University’s International Hurricane Research Center and the Florida Division of Emergency Management to take it online instead.
The free series includes presentations and demonstrations by meteorologists, emergency management specialists and others. Highlights include a look at the university’s Wall of Wind, an experimental facility that can test full-scale buildings’ ability to withstand 157-mph, hurricane-force winds and simulate wind-driven rain.
Viewers can also peek at what actually happens inside the eye of a hurricane, learn more about how the storms are forecast, and get tips on how to make an emergency kit and make sure your insurance can withstand a hurricane, too.
Ready for hurricane season? Check out the series at bit.ly/eye-of-the-storm-series.
