Five named storms have formed in the Atlantic basin so far this year. Peak hurricane season runs from mid-August through mid-October.
“Regardless of however many systems there are in a given year, it really only takes one to cause devastation in any given area,” said David Manning, a meteorologist with the National Weather Service.
The mid-Atlantic has a history of relatively minor hurricane impacts compared to parts of the country like Florida and the Gulf Coast, Tierney said. She worries that means people here may be less prepared.
“The thing I’m most concerned about when it comes to severe weather is apathy, because we’re not practiced at hurricanes,” Tierney said.
But even when the mid-Atlantic is not hit directly by a hurricane or tropical storm, the remnants of these storms moving up the coast can still wreak havoc. At least five people died and hundreds of homes were damaged or destroyed in Pennsylvania by the remnants of Hurricane Ida in 2021.
Scientists have observed an increase in heavy rain across the country in recent decades, particularly in the Northeast. Heavy downpours are expected to get more frequent and intense in the future, as warmer air can hold more water vapor.
“We’re just as at risk as areas in the southern part of the United States from hurricanes, whether it’s the flooding, the wind, or the storm surge,” Tierney said. “We’re also at risk for flash flooding [and] tornadoes.”