As the 2012 National Hurricane Conference wraps up, reports are coming in that warm waters in the eastern Pacific Ocean could mean a mild hurricane season this year.

2011 saw 19 tropical storms between June 1 and November 30, which ties last year for the third-busiest of all time with 1887, 1996, and 2010.

But according to Colorado State forecasters Philip Klotzbach and William Gray, this year could be much calmer. “A warming tropical Pacific and a cooling tropical Atlantic are leading us to think that the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season will have less activity.” The forecasters concluded that “the chances of an El Niño event this summer and fall are relatively high.”

Max Mayfield, Vice-Chair of the National Hurricane Conference, will tell you not to rely too heavily on predictions, however. “One thing that amazes me at the beginning of each hurricane season is how many people and the media misuse the various hurricane seasonal outlooks,” Max says.  “These outlooks only tell you about how many storms and hurricanes we are likely to have in the Atlantic Basin. They do not tell us where or when they will hit. These seasonal outlooks should have absolutely nothing to do with a person’s hurricane preparedness plan. If you live in a hurricane vulnerable location, you should be prepared no matter what the seasonal outlook calls for.”

The lesson here? Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst.

Have your own story about dealing with disaster? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Get in touch today and let Bankers protect you from hurricanes and other risks.

The 2012 National Hurricane Conference is taking place this week, and yesterday featured our own Judy Copechal, Bankers Insurance Group VP Product Manager. The goal of the conference is improving hurricane education and preparedness, a goal Bankers fully supports.

The experts agree: Preparation is the key to making it through a hurricane safely.

Lynne McChristian, chair of the conference’s Insurance Committee, has over 18 years of experience in the insurance industry and says “hurricane amnesia” is a major problem in preparedness: “[People] think because a hurricane or flood has never impacted them directly in the past that it won’t happen in the future.”

Of course, this is not the case, and those that are prepared for hurricanes fare much better than those that are not. Max Mayfield, vice-chair of the National Hurricane Conference who worked at the National Hurricane Center for nearly 35 years, explains the impact preparation can have: “I went on several post-disaster surveys while Director of NHC, especially during the extremely active 2004 and 2005 hurricane seasons. I often talked with some of the survivors, and one thing that really stands out to me is that those who had a hurricane plan almost always did better than those who had no plan.  You simply can’t afford to wait until the hurricane comes knocking on your door before you develop a family plan that includes knowing if you are in an evacuation zone and if so knowing where to go, protecting your house with impact-resistant glass or storm shutters, having a disaster supply kit, updating your insurance policy, etc.”

As we enter hurricane season, make sure you’re prepared for anything that might come your way. Make a plan, know your evacuation route, and protect your home.

Have your own story about dealing with disaster? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Get in touch today and let Bankers protect you from hurricanes and other risks.

Oh, hello… I didn’t see you there. You’ll have to excuse me; it’s hard to see such small beings when you’re this large.

My friends call me Harvey Hurricane, though I often get a different name everywhere I blow. They call me “cyclone” in the Indian Ocean and “typhoon” in the western Pacific Ocean—I assume meteorologists just need to entertain themselves.

Like I said, I’m a big guy. I’ve been known to gust over 160 miles an hour and drop over 2.4 trillion gallons of rain in a single day, but at my core I’m really quite calm. I just get a little excited sometimes. For instance, when the weather is nice and the ocean heats up… I start splashing around, and next thing you know… I’m SPINNING OUT OF CONTROLLLL…

Sorry about that—even the thought gets me going. Unfortunately all that excitement tends to leave quite a destructive path behind me. My storm surges can be 20 feet high and extend almost 100 miles. Plus, all that rain I produce usually leads to Felix Flood showing up whether I invite him along or not.

Well, it’s time for me to head back out to sea, maybe I’ll see you in a few months. In the meantime, you’d be smart to do some prep work before I show up again—know your evacuation route, buy some storm shutters, update your insurance policy. Once I get started, I’m never sure where I’m going to end up… best to get out of the way!

Oh, and I hear there’s a conference about me going on right now. Now that we know each other, could you swing by and make sure they aren’t badmouthing me?

Get in touch and let Bankers protect you from Harvey Hurricane’s manic moods. If you’re attending the National Hurricane Conference, be sure to catch Judy Copechal, Bankers Insurance Group VP Product Manager, speaking at 1:30 today!

Have you run into Harvey Hurricane? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

See what Harvey and his risky friends have been up to lately and follow their precarious pins on Pinterest!

All data collected from National Geographic.

Hurricane season is blowing in with the spring, and it’s as important as ever to be educated and prepared for the dangers of a hurricane.

That’s why Bankers Insurance Group is excited to participate in the 2012 National Hurricane Conference in Orlando. The annual conference is a great forum for education and professional training in hurricane preparedness, and emphasizes lessons we’ve learned from past hurricanes, information about assistance programs, and ideas both new and storm-tested on what can be done to thoroughly prepare for these hazardous storms.

Education and preparedness are the best defenses against hurricanes, and Bankers is proud to be a part of the discussion on how to save more lives and more property from the risks hurricanes bring with them.

Have your own story about dealing with disaster? Tell us about it in the comments or connect with us on Twitter or Facebook.

Get in touch today and let Bankers protect you from hurricanes and other risks.

We’re always interested in the latest technology that helps us stay one step ahead of mother nature. Here’s a look at some of the coolest things we’ve seen.

Hurricane Headquarters
The National Hurricane Center is housed in the only building in Florida that can withstand a Category 5 monster hurricane. This hurricane tech wonderland never closes. Experts use state of the art tracking mechanisms and forecasting models to predict and watch threatening storms in the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. As if that weren’t enough, more adventurous trackers fly around storms as they build, delivering data back to the center for analysis. Check out their findings in real time at the official NHC website.

Hurricane Proof Glass Garage Doors
They’ve got a coveted seal of approval by Miami-Dade County and Florida Building Commission for use in and out of all High Velocity Hurricane Zones and a sleek modern look. Five years in the making, these doors are designed to last. Other benefits include energy efficiency and 100 percent recycled aluminum construction. If only our homes came with the same guarantees… Find out more at the BP Glass Garage Door website.

‘Wall of Wind’ Hurricane Simulator
How do you test the effects of a real hurricane on a structure without sitting around waiting for a Category 3+ to strike? You make an appointment with the Wall of Wind, of course. This massive wall of fans at Florida International University is designed to simulate conditions present during the largest and most destructive hurricanes. The hope is to uncover better ways to design buildings to reduce damage and protect the people inside. Read an in-depth interview with the Wall of Wind engineering team here.

Hurricane season doesn’t end until November 30, 2011, but that isn’t stopping us from taking a look at some of the worst storms so far.

Here are some amazing pictures of the worst offenders of the year.

Hurricane Irene

Hurricane Katia

Hurricane Ophelia

Hurricane Philippe

If you’re a frequent reader you know we’re always looking for ways to help you steer clear of risks. Today we bring you a collection of hurricane safety tips from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). While it may be late for those affected by Irene these tips can help prepare for the next big storm. Though we can’t predict the weather we’ll guarantee that hurricanes aren’t going away any time soon. Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week. Watch the video and join the discussion in the See Through Insurance blog comments, on the Bankers Insurance Group Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

For many East Coasters, Hurricane Irene caused large amounts of devastation as the storm ravaged towns and left millions of residents without power. Many were left stranded as Irene flooded coastal towns pushing water inland destroying roads and homes along it’s path. Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week. Watch the video and join the discussion in the See Through Insurance blog comments, on the Bankers Insurance Group Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

The Insurance Institute for Business and Home Safety recently tested out the durability of roofs against hurricane like conditions in their South Carolina testing facility. By creating strong winds and torrential downpours, IBHS was able to demonstrate the effects of a hurricane on the inside of a home with a sealed roof deck. Check out the video and share your thoughts by commenting below or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.

#riskymonday, brought to you by Bankers Insurance Group, covers one important video highlighting the risks we face each week. Watch the video and join the discussion in the See Through Insurance blog comments, on the Bankers Insurance Group Facebook page or on Twitter using the hashtag #riskymonday.