With just 28 days remaining until the start of the 2023 Hurricane Season, scientists are predicting a “slightly below average season”.

Climate researchers at the North Carolina State University, predict that the upcoming hurricane season could produce more than a dozen storms.

They have estimated 11 to 15 named storms in the Atlantic basin, which covers the entire Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, according to their prediction models.

The names selected for this year are: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince and Whitney.

There were 17 storms in 2022, just as researchers predicted last year, according to the hurricane database from the North Carolina State Climate Office. But this year, they are not expecting the hurricane season to be as active.

In contacting the Director of the Nevis Disaster Management Department (NDMD), Mr. Brian Dyer, he is encouraging all citizens and residents to establish a Family Emergency and Communications Plan, inspect your home, the roof, gutters, windows, external doors and garage doors for any damage or potential for air and water penetration, trim tree branches and other plants overhanging your house, clean Drains and Water Courses in Close proximity to your home and communities, remove any debris or loose material close to the home that could get picked up by strong winds, know the location of emergency shelters located in your parish and check out evacuation routes to the shelters.