Safe from the Storm: Rich Thomas Reports from Tropical Weather Conference
Bluewater Chief Meteorologist Rich Thomas of Montgomery was just one of many weather experts to attend the 2023 National Tropical Weather Conference to examine forecasting trends for the upcoming hurricane season.
This year’s conference was held on South Padre Island, Texas.
Dr. Philip Klotzbach from Colorado State University delivered the much-anticipated early season projection. It calls for a somewhat lower number of storms compared to normal. But only a little bit below normal: 13 named storms, 6 hurricanes
and 2 major hurricanes.
That could provide a contrast from what some people experienced in 2022. On September 30, 2022, deadly Hurricane Ian slammed into the Southwest Florida Gulf Coast. 149 people lost their lives. The storm had winds of 154mph at landfall.
But, Ian’s wind was not the biggest story.
Ian has become the benchmark storm of all time for southwest Florida because in that state’s history, there has never been a storm that produced a 15-foot storm surge.
Even if this season is quieter statistically, it only takes one storm in your area to make an impact on your life.
