BROWNSVILLE, Texas — The Port of Brownsville is prepared for hurricane season.

During hurricane season, June 1 through Nov. 30, the Port of Brownsville operates under the U.S. Coast Guard’s Port Hurricane Condition IV, with all emergency equipment inspected and personnel prepared for severe weather events.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicts the 2019 Atlantic hurricane season will be “near-normal” with 9 to 15 named storms, of which 4 to 8 could become hurricanes. NOAA provides these ranges with a 70 percent confidence.

Two to four of the hurricanes predicted for 2019 could be a category 3 or higher. A category 3 hurricane involves winds from 111 to 130 mph that cause significant damage to property, humans and animals, and can cause extensive inland flooding.