Puerto Vallarta, Mexico - At a national civil protection meeting held in Acapulco last week, Roberto Ramírez de la Parra, the director of Mexico's National Water Commission (Conagua), told attendants that as many as 32 tropical cyclones could affect Mexico this hurricane season, four more than the average recorded in recent years.

The Conagua director went on to say that 18 of the cyclones are forecast for the Eastern Pacific Ocean and 14 for the Atlantic.

Hurricane season officially started in the Eastern Pacific on May 15, 2018. Of the Pacific weather events, eight are expected to be tropical storms, four are predicted to be Category 1 or 2 hurricanes and six are forecast to be hurricanes reaching an intensity of Category 3 or above.

The 2018 Atlantic hurricane season officially begins on June 1, with seven tropical storms, four Category 1 or 2 hurricanes and three Category 3 or higher hurricanes predicted.

Between four and six of the tropical cyclones are expected to have a direct impact on the Mexican coast, Ramírez said.

Though hurricane season usually passes Puerto Vallarta without incident, hurricanes can, and have reached, or affected, the Banderas Bay area. Being prepared for them is always a good idea, and NOW is a good time to develop a natural disaster plan with your family.

Everyone should know where the safest place in the house is, a specific meeting place in the event you get separated, and an out-of-state contact person to help coordinate if needed. You should also decide where you will go if instructed to evacuate, what you will bring with you, and how to secure your home in your absence. All disaster plans should include provisions for your pets as well.

Every household should also have a disaster kit. It doesn't have to be huge, but at minimum, your kit ought to include:

• A basic First-Aid Kit. You should also keep a list of any prescription medicines handy so you don't forget to include them in the kit in case you need to refill them.

• Potable water: A gallon per day per person for a few days is a good rule of thumb.

• Food: Non-perishable items that don't require cooking. Remember things like can openers, paper plates, cups, plastic knives, trash bags, etc...

• Flashlights/Candles: Remember to pack extra batteries and matches!

• Blankets and Extra Clothes: You need extras of everything just in case someone needs something dry to put on or it gets really chilly.

• No-Wash Hand Sanitizer/Baby or Cleansing wipes, and whatever else you think your family might not be able to do without for a few days.

Spend some time keeping your family safe by developing a strategy for safety in the unlikely event of a hurricane. Then you can get back to the business of enjoying your time in Paradise.