On this first day of the Atlantic hurricane season, federal officials are announcing a new initiative to modernize building codes
FILE - This image released by the National Park Service, shows a collapsed beachfront home along Ocean Drive in Rodanthe, N.C., on Wednesday, Feb. 9, 2022. The National Park Service issued a warning to visitors on Wednesday for debris.
. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted 14 to 21 named storms in the Atlantic this season, with six to 10 becoming hurricanes and three to six turbo-charging into major hurricanes with winds greater than 110 mph .may re-form in the Gulf of Mexico and possibly threaten parts of Florida by this weekend, the hurricane center said.
The codes ensure, for example, that roofs can withstand hurricane-force winds, that construction materials are resistant to flood damage and that insulation helps reduce heating and cooling costs, officials said.