August 22, 2023 – The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season is well underway and is entering the peak of the season. Now through the early part of October is the most active time for tropical storm and hurricane development. Earlier this month, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) increased its prediction for hurricane season due to record warm sea-surface temperatures. The NOAA is now calling for 14-21 named storms, 6-11 hurricanes, and 2-5 major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph.
The season started out relatively quietly with only four named storms through mid-August. However, in the last several days, four named storms formed in the Atlantic – Emily, Franklin, Gert and Harold.
This year, the state legislature approved two tax-free holidays for hurricane season, one occurred at the start of the season, the other will run from Aug. 26 through Sept. 8. Items like reusable ice packs, candles, flashlights, batteries, gas cans, bottled water, portable generators and more can be purchased during the tax holiday without paying sales tax.
As the fall term is underway, now is a perfect opportunity to verify your emergency contact information is up to date. Students can log into eSantaFe and employees to check eStaff to make sure their emergency contact information is updated. In the event of an emergency, the college will use the contact information on file to provide information and updates. The college also recommends downloading the Safe Santa Fe app for additional safety resources.
SF’s Emergency Management will meet as necessary during the season and provide students, faculty and staff with any needed information about potential closing dates if storms impact the college’s service district. Official college announcements about closures and storm updates will be provided on the SF Alerts webpage.
You can also use resources from the National Hurricane Center, including a Hurricane Preparedness Guide to get ready for the Atlantic Hurricane Season.