NEW BERN, N.C. (WITN) – New Bern is enjoying calm waters on Thursday, but residents know how quickly conditions can change.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve seen all of downtown New Bern flooded out, before they built this pier here,\u201d resident Louis Bunting says. \u201cThe water was waist-deep.\u201d<\/p>\n
This year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there\u2019s a 55% chance of a below-normal hurricane season for the Atlantic basin.<\/p>\n
Forecasters say there remains a 35% chance of a near-normal season, while only a 10% chance of an above-normal season. <\/p>\n
Even then, New Bern residents are staying cautious.<\/p>\n
\u201cEvery time a storm comes through eastern North Carolina, this particular location is going to have some sort of damage. It\u2019s in the lowest-lying area of downtown, so we\u2019re kind of always prepared.\u201d Front Street Fish Co. owner Trey McGovern says.<\/p>\n
He says he remembers devastating losses from past hurricanes.<\/p>\n
\u201cMy family home was completely destroyed during Floyd in 1999, and then in 2018, when Florence came through, it devastated my current home as well. After the storm had passed, I kayaked down my driveway about a quarter of a mile just to get to my house,\u201d McGovern says.<\/p>\n
NOAA is forecasting a total of eight to 14 named storms with winds of 39 miles per hour or higher.<\/p>\n
Of those, three to six are forecasted to become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe are having maybe a low prediction for storms, but always in the back of our minds, being prepared. We just have to keep an eye on that weather and when it comes, act accordingly,\u201d McGovern says.<\/p>\n
According to NOAA, the average hurricane season has 14 named storms with seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.<\/p>\n
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