June 1st marks the start of the 2025 hurricane season, and the City of Thomasville reminds residents about the importance of hurricane preparedness as the season approaches. The 2024 hurricane season saw the development of 18 named storms, 11 hurricanes, and five major hurricanes, falling within the higher end of predicted ranges.
“Weather analysts are predicting that 2025 is also expected to be above normal due to a confluence of factors including warmer than average ocean temperatures, forecasts for a weak wind shear, and the potential for higher activity from the West African Monsoon, a primary starting point for Atlantic hurricanes,” said Ricky Zambrano, Public Information Manager. “We encourage our community to begin their preplanning activities.”
According to Zambrano, experts recommend a three-day emergency supply for each family member in the household. “Gather batteries, flashlights, a good supply of medications, a first aid kit, and enough food and water for each person in your family to last at least three days. Copies of personal documents, such as insurance documents and identification records, should be safely stored so that you can quickly access them in an emergency.”
Preparing your home and property for the arrival of severe weather is also important. “Take time now, before a storm is imminent, to look for low hanging limbs or branches that may need to be removed from trees on your property,” said Zambrano. “You do not want to prune trees and shrubs when a storm is near, so assess your property and remove anything that may come down in a storm.”
In addition to home storm preparations, it’s important to know how to report electric outages. Tville TextAlert allows Thomasville Utilities customers to report outages and receive updates on outages through text messages. To sign up for Tville TextAlert, verify that your mobile number is added to your utilities account by calling 229-227-7001. Once your number is added or if it is already active on your account, text TVILLE to 229-227-5499.
It’s important to stay informed through reliable news outlets and familiarize yourself with the common terms used to describe hurricanes. “The National Weather Service Tallahassee (NWS) is the primary source for official weather watches and warnings in our local viewing area,” noted Zambrano. “Local news and radio stations are also a good source of up-to-date information. It’s important to understand the terminology used by the National Weather Service, especially the difference between tropical storms, hurricane watches, and hurricane warnings.”
To learn more about preparing your home for severe weather, please visit our severe weather preparation page by CLICKING HERE. For more information about any of the City of Thomasville’s services please call 229-227-7001.