Greek alphabet used during hurricane season for second time since US began naming storms

The tropics have become so active that National Hurricane Center began naming storms with the Greek alphabet Friday, as tropical storms Alpha and Beta both formed in the Atlantic and Gulf respectively.

We spoke to neighbors who continue to stay prepared amid hurricane season.

“Wilma was back years ago, and that was in November,” Dawn Sannicandro said. “So that’s weird.”

Hurricane Wilma hit the state in 2005, which is the last time the Greek Alphabet was used during hurricane season to name storms.

“Now, a couple are brewing out there,” Sannicandro said. “It looks pretty active.”

This is now the second time since the United States began naming hurricanes in the 1950s the Greek alphabet was used to continue naming storms.

“I think that would be cool for kids to learn the Greek alphabet,” Carol Bryce.

While some Floridians say this is a learning experience, others are focused on the added stress the active tropics can bring.

“It’s scary. Yeah. The area,” Sannicandro said. “It feels like people are still just getting back together from Irma.”

And memories of Hurricane Irma, now three years ago, are still vivid for Sannicandro.

“That was terrible, really bad. That was traumatizing. I’ve still got PTSD from that,” Sannicandro said. “We had no electricity, nothing. Stairs blew away, so we took off for away, and when we got back, we still had like nine days without power.”

And that’s why, with this active hurricane season, they are staying prepared.

“It’s in God’s hands,” Bryce said. “Just be careful and have a plan of if you are going to evacuate, what you are going to take with you, so you can grab it and go.”

Many homeowners say they always keep backup generators and waters on hand just in case more storms come our way.

“It’s crazy,” Sannicandro said. “I just keep praying every day that nobody will get hit with another one.”