2020 has been hell for so many, and that hell appears to be bleeding over into our hurricane season. As of the beginning of August, the Atlantic Ocean had already seen nine named storms and among those were two hurricanes. The record seems to indicate that we are well on our way to rival 2005 as the most active Atlantic hurricane season on record.

Much of the reason for the hyperactivity ongoing in the Atlantic can be attributed in part to the El Nino-Southern Oscillation, which is headed toward the La Nina phase. The phenomenon occurs in three phases: El Nino, neutral and La Nina. The last time that the Atlantic had recorded a season in which was significantly hindered in activity was due to a powerful El Nino event which occurred from 2014-15. Ever since five years ago, the basin has consistently outperformed the typical average of 12 named storms and 2020 will prove to be no different. What really is remarkable is the struggle to find anywhere in the record books where there were five hurricane seasons in a row in which were above-average.

Early predictions indicate a wide-range of potential outcomes anywhere from 17-20 named storms, 8-11 hurricanes, and 3-5 major hurricanes. To date, the Atlantic is ahead of 2005 by at least three weeks, which produced a grand total of 28 named storms, 15 hurricanes, and 7 major hurricanes. 2005 actually had so many named storms unlike ever before that all 21 names on the list for the season were exhausted and the Greek Alphabet had to be used. It would not be a far-fetched idea to believe the same could happen in 2020. In fact, 2020 is the year that marks 25 years since the "active era" of named storms and hurricanes first began in 1995. How fitting.

When we consider hurricane season this year, we must also consider the pandemic we are being faced with that only got real back in March. It cannot be stressed enough that you need to take proper precautions. These can include prepping yourself a hurricane kit with items that are essential - and you might want to add hand sanitizer and face coverings. It may take longer to restore your power this year if you are hit, so maybe invest in a generator if you have a dry outdoor space with a formidable amount of distance from your home should you find it necessary. There are several resources out there to ensure you have a place to shelter should disaster strike your region. A simple Google search will help you find where your closest shelter is should you be faced with an evacuation order. This may be a stressful time, and you may experience that - and you're not alone. We have each other.

You can also follow the National Weather Service on Twitter, via @NWS and the National Hurricane Center for the latest advisories via @NWSNHC. We can all get through this if we take into account some of the factors working against us in 2020 and emerge as stronger people. I received a question from a good friend earlier regarding the pronunciation of the name Isaias, which at the time of writing is a tropical storm threatening the Eastern Seaboard. Check out the naming list schedule here to check out the list of pronunciations of the six-year rotating naming lists, and maybe see if you are on the naming list! Just use your common-sense and intuition to guide you during this time. Now is the best time to make sure you're prepared especially if you live in an area with a proven history of dangerous impacts. Nature has ways of working that we can still not comprehend. Make your plan now.