Southern Connecticut residents and nonprofits in the area are getting ready for an extra-active hurricane season. Federal officials are predicting more severe storms than usual this year.

June 1 is the first day of hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting more wet and wild weather than usual this summer.

NOAA is predicting 14 to 21 named storms this season, including three to six major hurricanes due to La Nina conditions.

"What that means is we're going to have warmer waters out here in the Atlantic, and that is energy, which creates these storms," said News 12 Meteorologist Jonathan Cubit.

Cubit says knowing big storms are coming can help residents get their plans, emergency kits and generators in place.

AmeriCares assembled hundreds of hurricane hygiene kits at its Stamford distribution center Wednesday. Organizers say essentials like soap and shampoo can be life-changing for those displaced by large storms.

AmeriCares responds to about 30 disasters and crises in an average year.

Hurricane season generally peaks in August and continues until the end of November.