Storm Preparedness & Response

Hurricane season officially began June 1 — and while early forecasts point to a “below normal” Atlantic season, there’s no such thing in our industries as taking a season off. Forecasters are calling for just one to three major hurricanes and three to six in total this year, a relatively modest outlook by recent standards.

Hurricane season is coming — beginning June 1 and lasting through the end of November — and with it comes unpredictable storms and heightened risks. With forecasts predicting up to 19 named storms and 10 hurricanes — the refining and petrochemical industries are prepared.

Experts are predicting this year’s season to be similar to last or even a little less severe, with Colorado State University Tropical Forecast calling for 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two category 3 or higher hurricanes. And as they do every year, refining and petrochemical companies are doing their part to ensure they are prepared for every possible scenario and batting down the hatches, if you will.

“Our country has seen time and again that major storms and often-correlated runs on gas stations can have a swift impact on prices. Already in Florida, some key areas are functioning with roughly 20 percent of retail stations either out of gas or out of power. That means there is less supply overall and some temporary inability to access supplies in certain Florida communities where there is, at present, heightened local demand. The market is resilient and will work to fix this imbalance swiftly, but a return to normalcy will likely not be immediate as the supply chain is complex and buyers will need to return to their normal purchasing habits."

Hurricane Ida knocked out power to over one million people and created devastation that will take months to address. But as soon as the storm passed, the fuel and petrochemical industries began stepping up with financial assistance, in-kind donations and in-person support to help affected communities recover and rebuild.

Visit AFPM’s Hurricane and Weather Event Resource Center for more information on steps being taken to ensure the safety of our members’ facilities, their employees and the communities that surround them.

We enter the official 2020 hurricane season in June with a full appreciation that this year brings additional challenges as our nation continues a fight against a different yet deadly type of storm.