Penn urges preparedness as hurricane season heats up

The BVI is facing an above-average hurricane season, and residents must not be complacent, Director of Disaster Management Jasen Penn has warned.

Speaking during a recent Virgin Islands Voice broadcast, Penn highlighted updated projections for the 2025 season.

“Today, they would have released the second rendition of those updates. Those figures have gone down a bit to 16 named storms, eight hurricanes, and three major hurricanes. However, they still maintain that we are above average in terms of the activity we may see with these tropical cyclones,” Penn said.

The Director explained that despite a slow start, conditions could change rapidly.

“Although we are in a, I would say, a slow period, that does not mean that we should be complacent. We still need to begin our preparations if you haven’t started, and start them early,” he urged.

According to Penn, Saharan dust, neutral El Niño-La Niña conditions, and high sea temperatures have so far tempered storm activity. But as the season progresses, tropical waves are already shifting more northward, increasing the BVI’s exposure. He also raised concerns over the recent decommissioning of key satellites used for hurricane forecasting.

“With those satellites being removed, we can clearly see how they can be in the dark when it comes to certain things,” Penn added while noting the challenge this poses for accurate predictions. He continued, “You can go to bed with a tropical depression, and you could wake up and have a very powerful hurricane.”

To stay informed, Penn encouraged residents to download the Department of Disaster Management (DDM) app, join the DDM WhatsApp channel, and tune in to the DDM’s FM emergency broadcast at 88.7 FM. He further stressed the importance of regional collaboration through organisations such as the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA).

The 2025 hurricane season officially began on June 1 and runs until November 30. The territory continues to rebuild resilience following the impacts of Hurricanes Irma and Maria in 2017.