The local Department of Homeland Security (ASDHS) and National Weather Service Office Pago Pago are co-sponsoring a two day 2014-2015 Hurricane Season & New Tsunami Product Workshop, focusing on sharing information and awareness.

“The past few years have been an important reminder to all of us that severe weather like hurricanes, flash floods, and landslides can strike anytime and anyplace,” according to a Nov. 7 joint letter by ASDHS director Iuniasolua Savusa and Meteorologist Mase Akapo, who heads the local weather office.

“In American Samoa, we have experienced the devastation that hurricanes can cause families, communities, and government,” the pair said in the letter to ASG agencies and the local media. “Lately, American Samoa has been lucky, with hurricane Evan and hurricane Garry being the last.”

 “Although we have escaped high winds, we did have landslides and flash flooding due to heavy rain from these systems,” they say, and invited ASG agencies and media to attend the workshops which will help promote their hurricane season, tsunami awareness and preparedness campaign throughout  the territory.

According to the draft agenda, the workshop for ASG is scheduled for Nov. 13, while the workshop for media and village mayors is Nov. 14.  In both workshops, there'll be a presentation of the 2013-2014 hurricane season by the weather service while ASDHS will present an “incidents review” for the same season.

A preview of the 2014-2015 hurricane season will also be presented by the weather office, while ASDHS will discuss awareness and preparedness.

The last item on the agenda—set for the afternoon— will focus on new tsunami forecasting domestic products. Both workshops are to last the whole day.

Earlier this month the Weather Service released the tropical cyclone season outlook for American Samoa, which runs from Nov. 1, 2014 to Apr. 30, 2015.  Forecasters say at least two to three named tropical cyclone systems will impact American Samoa.