Bulletin Post

Watching the Tropics

August and September are the peak of Atlantic hurricane season, and the Chesapeake is not immune. Most named storms miss the Bay, but the region catches enough remnants — sustained wind, heavy rain, and storm surge — to make watching the tropics a regular summer habit. Now is a good time to review your boat's storm plan.

Have your lines, chafe protection, and haul-out plan sorted before a storm is on the map, not after. Watch the National Hurricane Center's five-day tropical outlook, and don't wait for a named-storm cone to start prepping. The earlier you have a plan, the more options you'll have if the tropics turn.