Extreme Weather Risks Ahead

Look at any weather forecasting service and you’ll find nearly unanimous agreement for an above-normal hurricane and tornado season from now to November. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts an 85% chance of a rise in the number of hurricanes, while the Storm Prediction Center says there have already been 781 preliminary tornado reports nationwide, far above the historical average of 549 such reports. AccuWeather predicts tornado activity from 1,250 to 1,375 tornadoes across the country. That’s less than the 1,423 tornadoes reported in 2023, but it’s still a huge number.

While hurricanes usually provide an advance warning of several days, tornadoes can crop up almost instantly from any thunderstorm and disappear just as fast. How do you anticipate and prepare for bad weather that could affect your operations? ICSA provides a link to a national weather forecast service at no cost to its members. Simply go to the ICSA website at www.safecarriers.org and click on the “check nationwide weather conditions” bar at the top of the home page. From the NOAA page you can zero in on a state, county, city and/or even zip codes to see what’s in the forecast for your destination.

Lastly, we urge you to check for extreme heat forecasts and plan accordingly. Whatever the season or the temperature, never set out in your rig without a supply of bottled water. Have a safe summer, everyone!