City of Miami officials are urging residents to be prepared for the upcoming hurricane season.
Mayor Tomas Regalado held a news conference Thursday to discuss preparations for the 2014 Atlantic Hurricane Season, which begins June 1 and ends on Nov. 30.
Resident Elydia Riere said she knows how bad these storms can be. All she has to do is remember Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
"Oh, it was terrible because I lost part of my roof," she said.
Thursday's event was geared more toward the elderly, who are at a higher risk when a storm comes to the area.
Juan Mestas, with the City of Miami Emergency Management Department, said that on top of having windows protected and medication on hand, seniors should always have help close by during a hurricane.
"Have a net of friends, family that they can rely upon and get help from for emergencies," Mestas said.
It's possible this storm season will be an "El Nino" year, which typically features fewer storms. Already this spring, Dr. Bill Gray, with Colorado State University, issued an annual seasonal forecast that calls for below-average tropical activity.
Gray's preseason forecast calls for nine named storms, three hurricanes and one major hurricane in the Atlantic.
The 2013 hurricane season was unusually quiet, with 13 named storms, only two of which became hurricanes - Ingrid and Humberto. It was the fewest number of hurricanes in a season since 1982 and was the sixth least active hurricane season since 1950 in terms of collective strength and duration of named storms and hurricanes, according to the Florida Division of Emergency Management.
Only two storms impacted Florida in 2013. Tropical Storm Andrea made landfall on June 6 and produced floods and tornadoes. Remnants of Tropical Storm Karen crossed northern Florida on Oct. 6.
