Meteorologists warn of more intense hurricanes making landfall

Taking the right precautions may be especially important this year. After a 2010 hurricane season that produced intense storm and hurricane activity but no direct hit on the U.S. coastline, forecasters at Weather Services International recently predicted two or three hurricanes could come ashore in 2011. Their forecast calls for 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four intense hurricanes of category 3 or stronger this year.

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NASA
The relatively placid view from the International Space Station belied the potent forces at work in Hurricane Earl as it hovered northeast of Puerto Rico on Aug. 30, 2010. With maximum sustained winds of 135 miles (215 kilometers) per hour, the storm was classified as a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale as it passed north of the Virgin Islands. In this photograph captured with a digital SLR camera by NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock, Earl had a distinct eye that spanned about 17 miles (28 kilometers). Most of the storm had a seemingly uniform top, though the bottom edge of the image gives some sense of the towering thunderheads forming over the ocean. The solar panels of the ISS remind us that the sun is still shining, at least on ISS Expedition 24. "Hurricane Earl is gathering some serious strength," Wheelock wrote from his perch on ISS. "It is incredible what a difference a day makes when you’re dealing with this force of nature. Please keep a watchful eye on this one...not sure if Earl will go quietly into the night like Danielle."

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"An automatic standby generator is the most convenient way to keep your family safe and comfortable when a hurricane knocks out the power," Reitman said. "It keeps the home powered so the family can maintain a sense of normalcy as they cleanup after the hurricane occurs."

For those who need an immediate solution during an outage to power a few key appliances, a portable generator may be the best solution.

"When using a portable generator, it's important to observe a few key safety measures," said Eric Loferski, Briggs & Stratton Director of Marketing for Portable Power. "Only use generators outdoors, away from open windows and doors to avoid fumes. And don't forget to read and follow the manufacturer's operating and maintenance instructions to make sure your generator continues to provide the power you need, when you need it."

In addition to preparing a household to maintain power after a hurricane, the Federal Emergency Management Agency's Ready Campaign offers a host of ways families can prepare their home for a hurricane. They advise:

Cover all of the home's windows with pre-cut ply wood or hurricane shutters to protect windows from high winds.
Plan to bring in all outdoor furniture, decorations, garbage cans and anything else that is not tied down.
Keep all trees and shrubs well trimmed to increase wind resistance.
Further secure the home by closing shutters.

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(Photo: NASA / )

The relatively placid view from the International Space Station belied the potent forces at work in Hurricane Earl as it hovered northeast of Puerto Rico on Aug. 30, 2010. With maximum sustained winds of 135 miles (215 kilometers) per hour, the storm was classified as a category 4 on the Saffir-Simpson hurricane scale as it passed north of the Virgin Islands. In this photograph captured with a digital SLR camera by NASA astronaut Douglas Wheelock, Earl had a distinct eye that spanned about 17 miles (28 kilometers). Most of the storm had a seemingly uniform top, though the bottom edge of the image gives some sense of the towering thunderheads forming over the ocean. The solar panels of the ISS remind us that the sun is still shining, at least on ISS Expedition 24. "Hurricane Earl is gathering some serious strength," Wheelock wrote from his perch on ISS. "It is incredible what a difference a day makes when you’re dealing with this force of nature. Please keep a watchful eye on this one...not sure if Earl will go quietly into the night like Danielle."