National Hurricane Preparation Week is here, and with the 2020 Atlantic season less than a month away, it is time to make sure that you and your family are ready.

Originally observed as National Hurricane Awareness Week prior to 2004, the name of the week was changed to better indicate the ultimate goal: preparedness, not just awareness.

This annual week is a nationwide effort to inform the public about hurricane hazards and to provide knowledge to help people prepare and take action. Each day also has a 'theme' that focuses on a different aspect of being adequately prepared. Our local National Weather Service Office has a page of its own that you can visit.

But with the COVID-19 pandemic set to continue through the duration of 2020 in some capacity, FEMA is putting extra emphasis on preparing this year.

Administrator Pete Gaynor says that the upcoming storm season “will be a little more complicated" this time around, mainly because they are focused on maintaining "social distancing and ensuring we keep hygiene at the top of our list.”

With that in mind, they know that evacuating people from hurricane zones and avoiding overcrowded shelters are going to be especially difficult, should any major storms hit.

Taking this into account, it is extra important for everyone to do their part in making sure they are primed when that next tropical system approaches. FEMA is encouraging residents to prepare early and thoroughly this year, especially those that live in coastal/hurricane-prone areas.