Whether you have an iPhone or Android, the American Red Cross wants to make it easy for you to be prepared during hurricanes.   

The nonprofit announced that its new "Hurricane App" is available for free download in both the iPhone App Store and the Google Play Store for Androids — simply by searching American Red Cross. You can also get the app by dialing **redcross from your mobile phone to generate a text message with a download link.

"The American Red Cross Hurricane mobile app is great for people in our region to download, especially following last year’s near direct hit from Hurricane Irene," said Sara Smith, Communications Specialist for the American Red Cross of Southeastern Pennsylvania. "While our region may not always be in the direct path, the threat still exists that we will have to deal with these storms in the future.

The app features important safety information, real-time hurricane tracking and tools to let loved ones and friends know that you’re safe and well.

"Many people in our region have homes at the shore and the app allows you to track multiple locations and receive weather alerts from NOAA for all locations they set up to track," Smith said.

Hurricane Season's Peak

According to the National Weather Service, the Atlantic hurricane season peaks in August and extends through September. It was the end of August last year when Irene ripped through Connecticut and left behind historic devastation.

On May 24, the NWS' Climate Prediction Center released its outlook for the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season. That reads, in part:

Given the current and expected conditions, combined with model forecasts and possible competing factors, we estimate a 70% probability for each of the following ranges of activity during 2012:

• 9-15 Named Storms,
• 4-8 Hurricanes
• 1-3 Major Hurricanes
• An Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) range of 65%-140% of the median.

The outlook is scheduled to be updated early this month, the center states.