This is the Type of Picture we like to see during Hurricane Season (which starts today)!

Hurricane Season 2014 has begun! It officially runs from today, June 1 through November 30.  One of the best sources of information during this period is, of course, the National Hurricane Center. 

Here's to a quiet season!

More Flight Cancellations Predicted Due to Late March New England Snowstorm

According to Weather.com there will be a powerful storm developing off the East Coast Tuesday and Wednesday:

Critical questions remain on exact storm track and resulting impacts to Northeastern U.S.

Heavy snow possible in parts of eastern New England and likely in Atlantic Canada

Light accumulating snow probable elsewhere in the Northeast

Coastal flood, high wind threats in coastal New England Wednesday

Precursor disturbance brings light snow to the Midwest Monday and Tuesday

What Should You Do?

If you have travel plans on the East Coast Tuesday and Wednesday – especially to, from, or within New England and Atlantic Canada – it's time to start thinking ahead.

While there is still considerable uncertainty in the forecast, there could be significant impacts to travel. Even the threat of strong winds and snow could prompt airlines to alter flight schedules.

If your travel plans are especially sensitive to weather disruption, you may want to consider moving your flight or your road trip outside of the storm's expected time frame just to be safe. If you are comfortable waiting for more clarity in the forecast, we should have a better grip on the forecast details later Monday. 

Given the uncertainty still involved in the forecast, it is probably still too early to cancel or postpone local events, gatherings, or plans with friends and family that don't involve long-distance travel, unless they're in southeast Massachusetts, including Cape Cod, Martha's Vineyard, Nantucket Island, as well as eastern Maine. It is always a good idea to protect yourself by getting travel insurance. 

Of course, it's never a bad idea to check your preparedness in case a major storm of any kind strikes your community. Although winter is almost over and you may not use them this time, items such as batteries could be useful to have on hand for the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins in just over two months.

Mid-March Snow Causes Havoc in Mid-Atlantic Region

USA TODAY reports that Old Man Winter is not done with air travelers just yet.

The latest winter storm to roil U.S. flight schedules prompted carriers to cancel more than 550 flights across the nation as of 9:10 a.m. ET on Monday, according to flight-tracking service FlightAware. Many of those cancellations came in the Washington, D.C., area where 5 to 9 inches of snow fell overnight in the Washington, D.C. area. Philadelphia also saw a higher-than-normal number of cancellations.

American, JetBlue, Southwest, United, US Airways and Virgin America were among the big airlines to waive change fees and ease rebooking rules for travelers ticketed to fly through the region Monday.

At Washington's Reagan National Airport, flights were grounded through much of the morning as crews worked to clear snow from runways and taxiways.

FLIGHT TRACKER : Is your flight on time?

Airport officials said the main runway reopened at 9 a.m. ET Monday morning, paving the way for Monday's schedule to begin at the airport.

Still, the airport warned that "residual delays and cancellations are expected to continue throughout the day. ... Snow crews remain on site to clear the runway open and to clear additional runwayss and taxiways as quickly as possible."

More than 250 flights – 148 arrivals and 121 departures – had been grounded there so far Monday. That figure accounted for close to a third of the airport's total daily schedule, according to FlightAware.

Elsewhere, about 78 combined arrivals and departures – or about 10% of the day's schedule – had been grounded at Washington Dulles as of 6:50 a.m. ET, according to FlightAware.

At Baltimore/Washington International (BWI), about 45 flights – roughly 5% of the day's schedule – had been canceled.

To the north, more than 100 flights had been grounded at Philadelphia. That represented about 8% of the day's schedule at the airport, a busy hub for US Airways.

About 30 flights were canceled at Raleigh-Durham as of 8:20 a.m. ET.

USA Today Advises What To Do if Flights Are Cancelled

What Can Be Done if Flights Are Cancelled Due to Snow? 

by Kathryn Walsh, Demand Media

USA TODAY:

Over 4,000 flights have been cancelled -- so far!
(January 3, 2014)

Plan Ahead

A snowstorm may be pretty to look at, but it can be a nightmare for a traveler. Weather-related flight cancellations are a common concern throughout the winter, but the fact that you can see these setbacks coming is to your advantage. Don't wait until your flight has been canceled to start planning for the possibility that it will be; with patience and time, you'll eventually get where you're going.

Airlines often can predict when they'll have to cancel flights because of snow, unlike mechanical breakdowns, and in such cases, you may be able to deal with your cancellation without leaving home. If a storm is coming, some airlines will allow you to reschedule your flight for a later date without paying the usual flight-change fees. In the 24 hours before your flight is scheduled to depart, there should be information on the airline's website that explains how to change your flight online or by calling customer service. The snow will still strand you, but you won't be out any money or stuck at the airport.

Get Re-booked

If you're in the airport and the snow is expected to clear up soon, the airline may be able to book you onto a later flight. Its later flights may be sold out, however, as your fellow passengers will also be scrambling for seats, so be proactive by calling the airline's customer service number on your cell phone while waiting in line at the customer service desk in the terminal -- you never know which method will connect you to help faster. If the airline doesn't have seats available on a later flight, or isn't booking anyone onto flights, another airline may have a seat for you. Many airlines have a policy that if they can't accommodate you, they will get you a seat on a competitor's flight without charge.

Seek Comfort

As snow is unpredictable, and cleaning off the runways and planes take time, you may have to wait several hours to days before you can get a flight out on any airline. In the meantime, the only thing to do is settle in. A customer service agent can tell you if the company issues meal vouchers for stranded passengers, and help get you a room at a local hotel, though when weather is to blame, the airline won't pay for your stay.

Wait It Out

When all flights are grounded, you can't count on the airline to contact you when it starts booking flights again. If you opt to stay in the airport, setting up your bags in a chair near the airline's customer service desk will allow you to see signs, such as a flurry of activity, when staff have permission to start booking stranded passengers onto flights. You might also check with the agents hourly to see if they have any updates. If you're friendly and polite to the agents and stay within eyesight, they may even call you over when the snow is lifting and they're ready to fill seats.

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Also, we strongly recommend that you protect yourself by purchasing Travel Insurance which can give you both peace of mind and financial protection! There are many insurance companies that offer travel insurance (or sometimes called Vacation Insurance). One company that offers free on-line quotes as well as comprehensive and affordable travel insurance is CSA Insurance. 

The Mid-West and North-East Get Blasted with Winter Storm

Forecast through Tuesday, January 3 (2014)

Current (as of 6:30 AM January 2, 2014)

More than a foot of snow is expected to blanket Boston and surrounding areas. If you have travel plans you might want to check with your airline to inquire about cancellations or delays. As always, we recommend travel insurance to protect you against travel disruptions. CSA Insurance offers free on-line quotes for their travel insurance.

2013 Hurricane Season Forecast is (Unfortunately) a Busy One

Hurricane Hugo approaches the mainland USA
as a Category 5 with 100+ mile per hour sustained winds
in 1989

Bill Gray and Philip Klotzbach, Colorado State's pioneers of hurricane forecasting, issued his 2013 predicting that this year will be a very busy one for the Atlantic hurricane season with 18 named storms, 9 hurricanes, and 4 major hurricanes (the 1981-2010 30-year averages are 12.1 named storms, 6.4 hurricanes, and 2.7 major hurricanes).  “We anticipate an above-average Atlantic basin hurricane season due to the combination of an anomalously warm tropical Atlantic and a relatively low likelihood of El Niño,”  Klotzbach and Gray write in their recently released outlook for 2013. 

Lotzbach and Gray are not alone in predicting an active season. Meteorologist Joe Bastardi of WeatherBell, writes in his 2013 hurricane season outlook that he forecasts 16 named storms, 12 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes.

Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30. It can be a long, long 6 months. The good news - at least these days - is that forecasting, technology, and communications has gotten significantly better each and every year. While not perfect, most storm paths can be predicted and, therefore, necessary actions can be taken to make sure you are out of harms way.  One very important component of this forecasting ability is thanks to the 'hurricane hunters'.  These planes and the folks that fly them are built and trained to fly directly into the eye of tropical storms in order to help forecast the strength and path. In order to spend as much time as possible in the air within the storm itself these planes are stationed on the easternmost spot of US soil - St Croix in the US Virgin Islands.  The St Thomas Source writes about the squad's early return to the Virgin Islands in order to ensure that they have all the necessary equipment  (spare parts) and systems up and running prior to the actual start of the hurricane season. 

The Hurricane Hunter, the Air Force WC-130J, recently arrived on
St Croix in the US Virgin Islands 

UPDATE: May 23 - NOAA issues hurricane forecast for 2013: Based on the current and expected conditions, combined with model forecasts, NOAA estimates a 70% probability for each of the following ranges of activity during 2013: 13-20 Named Storms, 7-11 Hurricanes, 3-6 Major Hurricanes Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) range of 120%-2.05%

Planes are cancelled causing travel havoc throughout Nation

Rebecca Blackwell walks to work along Jefferson Park Avenue early Wednesday morning March 6, 2013 in Charlottesville, Va., as a snow snow hits the area. A winter storm continues to pile on snow in central and western portions of the state. (AP Photo/The Daily Progress,Sabrina Schaeffer)

From Chicago to Washington DC travel by either train or plane yesterday, today, and tomorrow will be horrendous in many places throughout our nation.  

If you have travel insurance during one of these storms, while your plans will be upside down, your wallet won't be fleeced!  It might be too late for you for this storm, but consider Travel Insurance for your next trip.  

Spring -- where or where aren't thou?