We’ve had our share of unpleasant weather this summer—especially the sweltering heat we’ve been experiencing for the past month or so—but one thing we’ve been spared, so far, is the wrath of a hurricane. But don’t get too complacent.

So far we’ve been very lucky. There have been no named storms in the Atlantic since Colin weakened to a tropical depression on July 2. And that storm, when it eventually skirted the Carolina coast, didn’t even have an impact on local Independence Day celebrations. Alex did give us an early start to the season, but neither that storm nor Bonnie left any significant damage in its wake.

However, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration isn’t backing down on its prediction of an above-average season. Last Thursday, NOAA announced it still forecasts three to five major hurricanes and a dozen or more named storms.

The fact remains that we haven’t yet reached peak hurricane season, which usually falls around mid-September. As of Tuesday, the ...