Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
Experts predict ‘near-normal’ hurricane season for NYC
By
Catalina Gonella
Published May 31, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Mike Mareen
By
Catalina Gonella
Published May 31, 2023
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
The Atlantic hurricane season starts Thursday, and while it's usually busiest in New York August through October, city officials said it’s never too early to be prepared.
This year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season. The NOAA forecasted a range of 12 to 17 total named storms, with five to nine of those having the potential to become hurricanes. One to four of those could become major hurricanes.
An average season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
Commissioner of Emergency Management Zachary Iscoll said public awareness remains one of the most important strategies to manage the effects of a hurricane.
“People have to be prepared, they have to take precautions,” Iscoll said. “They have to sign up for things like notify nyc to make sure that they have the information they need to keep themselves safe.”
In 2021, Hurricane Ida caused billions of dollars in damages and killed at least 13 people in the city. And a recent rain storm that caused flooding left many asking if the city is ready to respond to future weather events.
The Office of Emergency Management suggests a three-pronged approach to staying prepared.
First, know your zone. Three million New Yorkers live in one of the city’s six evacuation zones — areas subject to storm surge flooding. This map lets residents know which areas are at risk, and if there’s an active evacuation notice.
Second, make a plan. City officials encourage New Yorkers to have a plan in place ahead of a storm hitting the city, and offers guidelines on its website.
Third, stay informed. There are a number of ways New Yorkers can get alerts from the city during emergencies including signing up for Notify NYC, downloading the Notify NYC app, following Notify NYC on Twitter, visiting the website, or calling 311.
Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.
Contributed reporting by Amanda Rozon.
Tagged
new york city
environment
Catalina Gonella
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Woman found in shallow grave in Queens; her ex-boyfriend is in custody, NYPD says
The city medical examiner ruled Seraphina Pereira’s death a homicide on Monday.
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Oct 27, 2026 at 8:29 a.m. ET
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
A councilmember and immigration activists criticized the governor for not doing more after ICE seemingly admitted to violating a court order.
By
Mike Hayes
News
ICE used a warehouse in NJ. Locals are ‘frustrated’ by Sherrill’s response.
A councilmember and immigration activists criticized the governor for not doing more after ICE seemingly admitted to violating a court order.
By
Mike Hayes
NY Gov. Hochul once resisted a data center pause. Now it’s central to her campaign.
By
Jon Campbell
Judge temporarily halts overnight construction at NYC’s Chinatown jail
By
Giulia Heyward
Pressure grows on Mamdani to reform admissions to NYC specialized high schools
By
Elizabeth Kim
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .