The advent of the six-month hurricane season arrived Sunday, captivating the attention of UF weather experts and emergency officials.
The season's first tropical storm, named Arthur, dissolved quickly after making its Atlantic debut Saturday.
But UF geography professor Corene Matyas said meteorologists are on alert because it is rare to have activity this early in the season.
Matyas said she expects normal to above-normal activity this season from the Atlantic Ocean Basin, which spans the Atlantic Ocean, the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea.
The season ends Nov. 30.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration issued a 60 to 70 percent chance of having 12 to 16 tropical storms, six to nine hurricanes and two to five intense hurricanes, defined as those that have winds of more than 111 mph.
The predictions may seem threatening, but they should not send citizens into a tizzy, Matyas said.
"People erroneously take these forecasts as how many storms and hurricanes will strike land," she said. "But many dissipate before they ever make landfall."
Because there is no way to predict how many storms will actually touch ground, Matyas said people should prepare for the worst.
Kenneth Allen, UF emergency management coordinator, said UF will be prepared for as many storms as the season may bring, despite the challenges of securing a large campus.
UF will add the Steinbrenner Band Building to its list of hurricane shelters, which includes Southwest Recreation Center and the Reitz Union Grand Ballroom.
UF used those buildings as shelters in 2004, when hurricanes Frances, Jeanne and Charley stormed through Florida.
Construction on the band building is expected to wrap up this summer.
While most buildings are constructed solidly enough to withstand heavy impact, some parts of campus, such as Elmore Hall and the Health Science Center, tend to flood and require extra attention during a storm, Allen said.
Depending on a storm's proximity, UF can post updates and alerts on its Web site or send e-mails and text messages to students, faculty and staff notifying them of evacauations or canceled classes.
UF did not have the emergency text messaging system last hurricane season.
"We are always working to improve what we have done in the past," Allen said.
"This year's improvements can certainly make a difference."
