Tropical storms and hurricanes can be very dangerous and life threatening naturally occurring events. When these types of storms encounter a coastal or tropical area they can destroy the environment, infrastructure and even cost people their lives. Tropical storms and hurricanes are problematic for many local residents who reside in areas where these tempests are known to occur. Many local residents who reside in hurricane prone areas usually have the knowledge and experience about what to do when a storm strikes. But tourists, vacationers and visitors to coastal or tropical areas might not be aware of the available information that they can use to protect themselves from these types of incidents.

Tropical storms typically take place in the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans. April through November is usually the rainy months for most tropical locations and hurricanes usually happen during the rainy season . Most North Americans are on vacation during this time . Vacation destination spots such as Hawaii, Puerto Rico, Cancun, the Philippines, the Bahamas and Tahiti are areas that lie in the tropical regions of the world. Hurricanes can even take place in places in coastal metropolitan areas such as New York City. Though they are not common, they have been known to happen such as the 2011 incident with Hurricane Irene.

The first step that vacationers should take with protecting themselves from the dangers of tropical storms is to check the weather of their destination spot in advance. Vacationers can contact their travel agency for this information. They can also go online to look at updated weather forecasts for the area they will visit. Many tourists can find updated weather information from local news and weather radio stations in tropical areas since they are also available online. There are hurricane applications that track and monitor hurricanes. The National Weather Service Hurricane Service Center is a major national weather organization that offers this app for free. If a vacationer discovers that a hurricane is approaching an area about the time of their arrival, they can choose to alter their trip or postpone it at a later date. Most authorities won't allow anyone to travel into an area where a tropical storm or hurricane is expected to take place.

When a hurricane is expected to hit a particular destination, then a warning will be given to tourists and visitors to evacuate the area. Warnings such as these are usually given at least a few days in advance. Tourists and visitors are expected to leave the area as soon as possible and not try to ride out the storm. Vacationers should not constantly worry about bad weather while they're having fun but they should be aware of changing weather conditions.

Tourists should check with the hotels where they're vacationing about their evacuation policies in case of a major storm. This will help save time, money and hassles in the event of an emergency. Many hotels will inform tourists where to go and what to do when a situation like this arises. In instances where tourists are not able to leave the island, they should check with their hosts about the best places to go during a hurricane.

Hotels will give the best advice because they have to assume responsibility for their guests while theyre staying at their establishment. They will direct guests to the best places to go until the storm passes. Local authorities such as fire, police and emergency workers will also help guests as well. Tourists should listen to their advice and not deter from what they're told. Chances are tourists will remain safe and make it back home if they plan ahead and listen to the authorities if they encounter a situation where a hurricane or tropical storm is expected to take place.