Karin Stanton/Hawaii247.com Contributing Editor

Hurricane season begins June 1 and runs to Nov. 30. That’s not news and neither, really, is the reminder to make sure you are prepared in case we get one.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the 2009 season will be near normal with four to seven hurricanes likely.  Predictions call for nine to 14 named storms and one to three major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

“The time to get ready is now,” said Joe Becker, senior vice president of Red Cross Disaster Services, “Go over your plan and make sure it is still current.  Get out your kit and see if anything needs to be replaced.”

NOAA has also released the names for hurricanes which develop in the Eastern Pacific this season: Andres, Blanca, Carlos, Dolores, Enrique, Felicia, Guillermo, Hilda, Ignacio, Jimena, Kevin, Linda, Marty, Nora, Olaf, Patricia, Rick, Sandra, Terry, Vivian, Waldo, Xina, York and Zelda.

Check out Hawaii247.com’s Weather Page for links to hurricane Web sites or visit:

www.hcrc.info/disaster-preparedness

www.hawaii-county.com/cd/hpg/main.html

www.hawaiianparadisepark.org/ENET/

hawaii.gov/dcca/areas/ins/HurricaneSeason

www.fema.gov/hazard/hurricane/

emergency.cdc.gov/disasters/hurricanes/

www.redcross.org/

www.nhc.noaa.gov/HAW2/english/intro.shtml

www.hurricane.com

For kids: www.weatherwizkids.com