Hurricane season is here and it’s not going away anytime soon. In fact, experts predicted that this season will be even more active than the historic 2018 hurricane season.

Since the season is finally here and we’re starting to see more and more storm activity, we found these six facts that we felt should be passed along. Knowledge is power especially when facing a natural disaster like a hurricane.

1.) The difference between a tropical storm and a hurricane is wind speed. Tropical storms usually bring winds of 36-47 mph, while hurricane wind speeds are at least 74 mph.

2.) 40% of the hurricanes that occur in the United States hit the state of Florida.

3.) The costliest hurricane in history was Hurricane Katrina that devastated Louisiana. The damages totaled approximately 161 billion dollars (NOAA)

4.) Speaking of cost… 3 of the top 5 costliest hurricanes in U.S. history occurred in 2017. Those three were Irma ($50B), Maria ($90B), & Harvey ($125B).

5.) In the Atlantic, hurricane season starts June 1st. Meanwhile in the Pacific it begins on May 15th. Both seasons conclude on November 30th.

6.) Flooding from hurricanes is NOT determined by storm strength but rather storm speed. Slow moving storms can produce more than 20″ of rain over just a few days. Flooding can also be hundreds of miles from the center of the storm.

The most important fact of hurricane season is that those who prepare as early as possible and have an emergency preparedness plan in place are far more successful than those who try to prepare at the last minute. By preparing early and keeping supplies on hand, you’ll enjoy the luxury of easy deployment for whenever disaster strikes.

Being prepared is being protected. Start gathering supplies to help with hurricane flooding so you can protect your home from the next big storm.