The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) held an educational event at the Portland Jetport on Monday and cautioned Mainers to prepare hurricane emergency plans before the summer begins.
Serving as its first stop, NOAA's 2024 Hurricane Awareness Tour is aimed at spreading awareness about the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season beginning in June. NOAA and the National Hurricane Center held the Portland event at one of the Jetport's hangers.
While Mainers along the coast are especially at risk of hurricanes, storm surge flooding caused by strong storms can also affect those inland.
"If the rivers are connected to those oceans, storm surge can be extremely significant upriver," said Dr. Cody Fritz, the team lead for the Storm Surge Unit at the National Hurricane Center.