With the hurricane season upon us, 42% expect there to be about the same number of hurricanes this year as there were a year ago. The latest Rasmussen Reports telephone survey also finds that 37% believe there will be more hurricanes this year while only 8% think fewer hurricanes are on the way. FEMA has predicted a near or above normal hurricane season in the Atlantic Basin this year.

Thirty-two percent (32%) think that emergency services are better prepared for hurricanes this year. Fourteen percent (14%) believe we’re less prepared, while 43% say we’re as prepared this year as we were last year.

Most Americans--55%-- believe that global warming creates climate changes leading to more extreme weather events. A quarter (25%) of all adults disagree. An overwhelming majority (72%) of Democrats think climate changes lead to severe weather occurrences; just 33% of Republicans say the same.

Forty-four percent (44%) believe that the federal government should bear most of the financial responsibility for areas affected by hurricanes. Twenty-one percent (21%) say local agencies are to blame, while another 21% say individuals are responsible.

Only 23% of adults live in areas area affected by hurricanes. Sixty-eight percent (68%) are far enough from the shore to be unaffected.

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