‘It only takes one storm to change a community,’ said EMA official

GULFPORT, Miss. (WLOX) - A recent low-pressure system coming out of the Gulf of Mexico spared South Mississippi from any major weather impacts.

“In the winter time, we do have lows that will develop and move across the Gulf and move across our area. Typical wintertime weather. We’re starting to transition out of that now,” said Matt Stratton, Harrison County Emergency Management director.

That’s one piece of good news that came out of Thursday. The other involved the lower-than-normal hurricane prediction numbers out of Colorado State University. The CSU forecast calls for 13 named storms, with six becoming hurricanes and two reaching major hurricane status. The average numbers are 14, seven and three, respectively.

“We’re looking at a near- to below-normal level of tropical activity this year,” Stratton said.

Even with those lower-than-normal number predictions, Stratton said he and his team aren’t taking the summer off by any means.

“Even in what’s called a ‘slow year,’ it only takes one storm to affect your community,” he said. “In the analysis of Colorado State’s forecast this year, they compared this year’s environment and conditions to past years, and this year, in some ways, is similar to 1969.”

That’s the year Hurricane Camille slammed ashore in South Mississippi.

“Even though we’re expecting below normal to normal conditions, we definitely have to be ready,” Stratton added.

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