Contact For Immediate Release Mark Hanna August 1, 2013 (512) 326-7616

Hurricane Season Just Getting Started

Just four named storms make up the 2013 hurricane season thus far. Despite projections of a higher than average number of storms and hurricanes this summer, no hurricanes have formed and short term forecasts don’t call for any tropical storm formations.

But a spokesman for the says the hurricane season has actually been more active this year than average and the season is just getting started.

“We are still a long way from our peak season for hurricanes which is late August and September, so a lot can happen between now and then,” said Dan Reilly, warning coordination meteorologist with the National Weather Service Office in League City. “On average, we usually have had only two named storms by this time, so we are actually above normal by that measure. We'd expect the hurricane activity to start picking up as we go through August and September.”

The tropical storms that have formed this year have been Andrea, Barry, Chantal and Dorian. Tropical Storm Andrea drenched the entire east coast once it made landfall June 6. Tropical Storm Barry plowed into ’s gulf coast on June 20, while Tropical Storms Chantal and Dorian fizzled out in the Caribbean in July.

It’s been almost five years since a hurricane has struck . Hurricanes Ike and Dolly along with Tropical Storm Edouard all struck Texas in 2008. was the costliest storm in Texas history with $12 billion in insured losses. South Padre Island was hit by Hurricane Dolly on July 23, causing approximately $500 million in insured losses, while Tropical Storm Edouard made landfall near Port Arthur on Aug. 5, causing minimum damage.

The Insurance Council of Texas reminds all Texas coastal residents to consider purchasing flood and windstorm insurance to prepare for a hurricane. Hurricane Ike caused $2 billion in flood losses with its 20 foot storm surge. Upon purchase, it takes 30 days for a flood policy to take effect. Windstorm policies are no longer sold once a named storm has entered the .

“Having an evacuation plan, having an inventory of your personal property and being fully insured should be your first steps in living along the Texas coast,” said Mark Hanna, a spokesman for the Insurance Council of Texas. “We recommend that you plan now for a hurricane and not wait until one is threatening.”

The Insurance Council of Texas is the largest state insurance trade association in the country consisting of approximately 500 property and casualty insurers writing business in Texas. For more information click on www.insurancecouncil.org or http://www.facebook.com/insurancecounciloftexas

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