The 2016 hurricane season officially kicked off about two weeks ago, but does anyone even care? Well, this could be the year where you really need to pay attention, stock up on the usual stuff and prepare your home because this year is predicted to be the most active since 2012.

Let's start with the predictions – according to The Weather Channel there will be 14 named storms, eight hurricanes and three of those will be Category 3 or higher. Then according to the Colorado State University forecasters there will be 13 named storms, six hurricanes and two Category 3 or higher. The 30-year average is 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three Category 3 or higher. Although someone needs to tell me why there are hurricane experts in Colorado, I do like their forecast a little better.

Just to make us take the weather gods seriously there has already been an unusual hurricane in January – Alex centered in the Azores. Tropical Storm Bonnie disrupted everyone's Memorial Day cookouts in the Carolinas, and as I write this Tropical Storm Colin is beating on my roof. So maybe it is time to take the predictions a little more seriously this year. Not that we shouldn't every year, since even in years when there were only four named storms, like 1992 Mother Nature gave us Hurricane Andrew.

It's probably a little late to talk about hurricane shutters and impact resistant glas, but I'll do it anyway. Securing your home's envelope is the best hurricane protection, which can also result in a reduction in your homeowner's insurance policy,if all openings are properly secured. There are all types of shutters on the market – electric roll down shutters, panels that can be removed or stacked, Bahama shutters that fold down over windows and impact resistant fabric. However, the newest technology and certainly the most convenient are high velocity impact resistant doors and windows. Traditionally, this product has been very costly, far more than traditional shutters, but in recent years the cost has come down due to better technology and some real competition in the field.

Food, batteries, water, a full tank of gas and a place to evacuate to are always at the top of the list of stuff you need to take care of. But don't forget the important files you may need to take if you have to leave your home. Insurance policies, passports, credit cards, birth certificates, citizenship papers, external computer backup devices, jewelry, checkbooks, marriage license and professional license, property deed, computer codes, pet and boat files, investment records, home improvement receipts, two years of tax returns, prescriptions and something most people don't consider, recent digital pictures of your home and its contents. And have some cash available in your house before ATMs run out or become inoperable.

This may sound a little extreme but if you live on a barrier island or in any of the dreaded red waterfront mandatory evacuation zones, you don't know what you may be facing after the storm or indeed when you may return to your home. Most of us remember Hurricane Charley, a Category 4 storm in 2004 that was headed directly to Anna Maria Island and Tampa, but it ended up devastating Punta Gorda, so don't let down your guard.

Finally, I have to mention the storm names that we can look forward to from now until Nov. 30. Since Alex, Bonnie and Colin are already gone, our next storm will be named Danielle, then Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermine, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Matthew and Nicole are the first 14. My absolute favorite of the batch is Hermine, logging in at number 8, so chances are we'll see her, but let's hope we don't get to Otto.

Even if this is the year, it's not the end of the world. Just prepare yourself, your family and your home, and you'll get through this season and can look forward to 2017 and Arlene.