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Hoping For a Below Average Hurricane Season

hurricane season

24 Aug Hoping For a Below Average Hurricane Season

Posted at 18:50h in Hurricane Preparedness by
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The key ingredients that will most likely cause this 2018 hurricane season to be average or below average include:

  1. The tropical Atlantic surface water temperature values are close to or below their long time averages. According to SST data, many values are the coldest on record for the beginning of August. If this cold, less-energetic mode remains throughout the season, storms will have less fuel for development and intensification. The atmosphere will also be more stable with a higher probability of dry air entrainment in the region, which tends to  suppress the organized thunderstorm activity needed for hurricane development.
  2. Ocean temperature forecasts still push for significant probability (65 per cent) that El Niño will form during the September-October-November period, while the chance of seeing neutral conditions is a close 33 per cent. El Niño tends to increase upper level westerly winds across the Caribbean into the tropical Atlantic, tearing apart developing tropical storms that can eventually evolve into hurricanes. For that reason, if it does get stronger than anticipated, we could see an even less active second half of the season.
  3. Greater wind shear across the region, especially in the Caribbean Sea has been observed in the month of July. Using data since 1979, Michael Lowry, a FEMA atmospheric scientist, has shown how this July 2018 has been the fifth July with the highest wind shear values in the region. A situation one would expect to see with a hefty El Niño pattern in the Pacific, although as mentioned earlier, it has yet to reach that point and could come perhaps later in the year.

Karen Bivona is a Lane & Associates underwriter! She underwrites, quotes and services general liability accounts for contractor risks, including our online Artisan Contractor General Liability Program. She has worked with the company for more than 35 years.

Jonathan Whitaker is a Lane & Associates underwriter. One of his favorite parts about his job is the relationships and friendships he's able to extend beyond work. He enjoys golf, traveling, Saints football and spending time with his family.

Marie Hohensee is Lane & Associates Vice President of Commercial Underwriting and assists the commercial underwriters in making sound and profitable decisions in placing business for our customers, as well as underwriting her own book of business. She’s originally from California but has called Louisiana her home for more than 25 years and has been working in insurance for more than 30 years!

Brandy Lane is an Underwriting Assistant at Lane & Associates. Brandy's favorite part of her job is helping the underwriters so we can promptly get things to our agents! Brandy's hobbies include spending time with her friends, trying new restaurants and seeing live music.

Scott Landry is the president of Lane & Associates, an advocate of continuing education and has his CPCU, ASLI, AIS, AU, and AIDA. Scott is active in the insurance community, serving on Commissioner Donelon's Surplus Lines Insurance Advisory Council, The Louisiana Property and Casualty Insurance Commission and the Louisiana Surplus Lines Association. Some of Scott's hobbies include gardening and exercising.

Casey Lane is a Lane & Associates underwriter. His favorite part of his job is building relationships with the agents he serves. When he's not at Lane, Casey enjoys Saint's football, music and watching his four children's sporting events.

Chris Weego is a Lane & Associates underwriter. His favorite thing about working at Lane are his coworkers and the amazing agents he gets to work with. When he's not working, Chris enjoys playing golf, watching his kids play sports and cheering on the Chicago Cubs!

Don Lundy is a Lane & Associates Texas underwriter. Recently, he completed his CPCU designation after 15 years of off-and-on classes. When he's not working, Don enjoys photography, Star Wars, the Atlanta Braves and watching his son bowl.