Hurricane season is the time of year when tropical storms and hurricanes are most likely to form and affect various regions of the world, such as the Caribbean, the Gulf of Mexico, the Atlantic coast, and the Pacific coast. Hurricane season typically runs from June 1 to November 30 with its peak in August, September, and October, in the Atlantic and Eastern Pacific basins, and from May 15 to November 30 in the Central Pacific basin.
However, hurricanes can occur at any time of the year, and their intensity, frequency, and duration can vary depending on many factors, such as climate change, ocean temperatures, and atmospheric conditions. Holding off on booking a Caribbean vacation because you are worried about hurricanes? Don’t. Hurricanes aren’t inevitable—and they are avoidable, too.
Why canceling your trip is not a good option?
First off, the odds are definitely in your favor. Even if you are spending two weeks in the Caribbean, there is only a 2-3 percent chance your vacation will be affected by a hurricane. You are much more likely to get hit by a hurricane if you live along the Gulf Coast. In fact, Miami has an almost 25 percent chance of being hit by a hurricane in any given year, higher than any Caribbean island.
Second, the Caribbean is a big place, and not all of it is in the hurricane belt. In the southern Caribbean—which includes Aruba, St. Lucia, and Barbados—hurricanes are extremely rare. Western Caribbean islands like Jamaica and Dominican Republic, as well as Mexico’s Caribbean coast, are less likely to be hit by hurricanes than eastern Caribbean islands like Puerto Rico, Antigua, and the Virgin Islands. To put this all in perspective, skipping a vacation in Aruba because a hurricane is predicted in Puerto Rico would be like canceling a trip to Chicago because there is a heat wave in Atlanta.
Of course, the Caribbean isn’t your only option for a beautiful beach vacation. Despite the damage hurricanes have done in the past 10 years, hurricanes are much less likely to hit Mexico’s Pacific coast than the Caribbean coast, and very rarely even threaten up-and-coming Central American destinations like Costa Rica and Panama. No matter where you decide to vacation, there are several things you can do to cover yourself and your vacation investment.
Most importantly, purchase travel insurance that will cover you in case of that you must cancel or cut short your trip due to a hurricane. Most of these policies let you cancel or reschedule your vacation even if no hurricane is expected, but the forecast calls for rain all week. Most Caribbean resorts also have hurricane policies. If an official hurricane warning is issued, most resorts will waive any cancellation penalties and will let you to rebook any missed nights for a later date. Again, these policies only apply to hurricanes; you are still stuck with bad weather unless your insurance includes cancel-for-any-reason benefits.
How to Stay Informed about hurricanes?
If you decide to travel during the hurricane or it happens while you are on vacation, you should stay informed all the time. To travel safely during hurricane season you should monitor the weather and the news, and communicate with your family and friends. There are several tips and advice on how to stay informed and connected, such as:
- Monitor the storm via local radio, NOAA radio, TV, and internet. Listen for alerts to evacuate or stay at home. You can also check the National Hurricane Center website for the latest updates and forecasts.
- Follow the instructions of local authorities and emergency services. They will provide you with the best advice on how to protect yourself and your family. If you are told to evacuate, do so as soon as possible and follow the designated routes.
- Have a plan and a kit ready in case you need to hunker down or evacuate. Your plan should include where to go, how to get there, and what to bring. Your kit should include essential items such as water, food, medications, flashlights, batteries, radio, and important documents.
- Stay in touch with your family and friends. Let them know where you are and how you are doing. You can also use social media or text messages to communicate with them. Avoid making phone calls unless it is an emergency, as they may overload the network.
- Stay away from windows, doors, and skylights. If you are staying at home, close storm shutters or board up windows and doors. Draw curtains or blinds to prevent flying glass. If you are in a public shelter, follow the rules and regulations of the shelter.
Check out more travel tips:
