With summer comes the return of potential hurricanes

Summer is here, but with it comes the inevitable every year - hurricane season. Because of the expected El Niño weather pattern this year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has reported a 55% probability of a below-average season. The El Niño event in the Pacific affects weather worldwide, and in the Atlantic basin, it typically means more wind shear in the atmosphere, which can rip apart storms that encounter it or keep thunderstorms from organizing into a hurricane. The El Niño event will ramp up later in the summer and lead to wetter, cooler weather through the remainder of the year and into next spring, according to the National Weather Service. Hurricane season runs through Nov. 30.

"El Niño, the warm phase of the El Niño-Southern Oscillation cycle, is a natural climate phenomenon characterized by above-average sea surface temperatures and weakened trade winds over the tropical Pacific Ocean," according to the Atlantic Oceanographic and Meteorological Laboratory. "However, its impact is far-reaching, resulting in the global redistribution of temperature and precipitation, and thus the occurrence of high-impact extreme weather events like floods and droughts. However, a less active Atlantic hurricane season is also a resulting factor."

This doesn't mean we will get no big storms this year, and it only takes one to cause extensive damage and interruption to daily life, so being prepared is still important. Going to the store to stock up on canned goods, bottled water and anything else you may need when everyone else is also out right before bad weather moves in means you may not find everything on your list.

This year's hurricane names have been set and are: Arthur, Bertha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias, Josephine, Kyle, Leah, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky and Wilfred.

Inside this edition of The Sumter Item Impact, you'll find more summer-related articles, including about a pool company that's been in Sumter for decades, safety tips from Sumter Fire Department and a list of events your family can enjoy despite the heat. We hope your summer is a memorable one this year.

If you'd like to pick up a free Hurricane Guide, visit our office at 36 W. Liberty St. from 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday. The guide will tell you what to do in advance of any storms that do come our way, what items to have on hand to protect your loved ones and what you can do after the storm clears out, including how to be safe with generators and medical needs.