Are you prepared for hurricane season

PENSACOLA, Fla. - J.R. And Louise Tucker have lived on Pensacola beach for more than 50 years. They've been through more than 50 hurricane seasons. So they know a thing or two about dealing with these storms.

"We went through them all," J.R. Told FOX10 News.

And for nearly 40 years the storms did little damage until Opal. "In Opal we had accordion shutters and it just lifted the shutters up and came in and destroyed everything," Louise said.

They did repairs and then Ivan came. Ivan left nothing to fix, they had to build a new home. One thing they've learned over the years is to never stay. "We have to go somewhere else. I don't ride them out," J.R. Said.

Forecast Changes for 2009

The National Weather Service would like more people to think like that, so they're constantly trying to improve their forecasts. Accuracy is better, so much so, that the forecast cones you see this year will be more narrow. Only by a few miles, but it's better than going the other way.

Another new feature will be storm surge probability. It's been experimental the last couple of years, but now the National Weather Service is ready to take it public. These forecasts will show the likelihood for storm surge in two-foot increments all the way to 20-feet.

That's vital information when it comes to evacuating folks like the Tuckers. But when they leave, they always come back. "Why not live where it's nice and beautiful and enjoy it while you can."

Which is what they've been doing since 1958.

Stay with us

Of course our meteorologists at FOX10 News will be tracking any storms that come our way and they'll make sure all that new information gets straight to you.