Two weeks ago, in the wake of the first hurricane making landfall in Southern California in nearly 100 years, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) raised their May 2023 prediction to a 60% chance of a busier than usual Hurricane Season.

At the time of this writing, the evacuation order has been given and hurricane watches are in effect up and down the Gulf Coast of Florida in anticipation of Tropical Storm Idalia strengthening to a category 3 hurricane before it makes landfall just north of Tampa Bay.

Of course as anyone who’s been here before can tell you, we don’t know where the storm track will go until it goes. Our prayer is that you are reading this from a secure location with good Internet in the wake of a storm that causes minimal damage, and not seeing the same aftermath as last year’s Hurricane Ian.

Hurricane season is Jun 1, 2023 – Thu, Nov 30, 2023, although this year, the first storm hit in January. NOAA’s new estimates call for 14-21 named storms. Six to 11 could become hurricanes, with 2-5 reaching winds of 111 mph or greater.

End of Summer Slam

Thankfully, that includes Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Gert & Harold, all of which have been relatively mild. Idalia is expected to be our first big storm in Florida, while Franklin is already a Category 4 off the coast of Bermuda.

Matthew Rosencrans, NOAA’s lead hurricane season forecaster explains, “The main climate factors expected to influence the 2023 Atlantic hurricane activity are the ongoing El Nino and the warm phase of the Atlantic Multi-Decadal Oscillation, including record-warm Atlantic sea surface temperatures.”

After a slow July, things ramped up into high gear this month – in just 39 hours, four named storms formed in the Atlantic: tropical storms Harold, Franklin, Emily and Gert. Now, with Idalia and Franklin coming in at different angles – the Sunshine state could be wetter than usual this Labor Day weekend.

Whether you get together for a BBQ or picnic with friends and family or spend the long weekend at home, remember to stay safe. Even if this storm doesn’t impact us – one might.

After the Storm

As many of us found out first hand last year, in the aftermath of a major hurricane, there’s a lot of displacement. Not just some of us from our homes, wildlife from their habitat and insects from their natural dwellings.

Ants, often in complete colonies, will seek higher ground. That can lead to a fire ant hill on a small piece of wood or soil – or even on the surface of the water itself – as they cling to each other. It also means your home can become a target for ants, spiders and other insects and arachnids.

Anytime there’s standing water, it creates a breeding ground for mosquitoes. And after any size tropical storm – even without a direct hit – there’s going to be a lot of standing water. Do what you can to drain standing water.

While it may be warmer, for your protection, wear loose-fitting, long sleeve shirts and long pants as you clean up. Expect that you will likely be bitten, although the CDC says that the types of mosquitoes that can spread viruses don’t increase until about 2 weeks after a hurricane. And this is especially true in areas that did not flood but received more rainfall than usual.

Regardless of where Idalia and Franklin hit, we will all be dealing with high winds, lots of rain and potentially dangerous situations. Stay safe, stay dry and be aware of your surroundings. If there’s anything we can do for you – with pest solutions or otherwise – please don’t hesitate to give us a call!