While national forecasters predict a quiet Atlantic hurricane season, emergency officials in Eastern North Carolina warn local residents not to let their guard down.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its official outlook on Thursday, calling for an eighty percent chance of a below-normal season. Forecasters credit a strong El Niño pattern in the Pacific, which creates high-altitude winds that tear developing storms apart.
Despite the low numbers, state emergency managers emphasize it only takes one storm to cause a disaster. From coastal Ocracoke to inland communities along the Neuse and Pamlico rivers, eastern North Carolina remains highly vulnerable to slow-moving systems, high storm surges, and catastrophic inland flooding.
Officials urge families from the Outer Banks to the Inner Banks to finalize evacuation plans, stock disaster kits, and monitor local weather alerts before the season officially begins on June first.
