NOAA Predicts an Above Average Atlantic Hurricane Season

With all the news and surrounding the cruise industry, you may have forgotten that it’s about to be hurricane season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s Climate Prediction Center has released their forecast for the Atlantic Hurricane season and the good news is they don’t believe this year will be as active as 2020. 

Forecasters at the NOAA believe there’s a 60% chance of an above-normal season, a 30% chance of a near-normal season, and a 10% chance of a below-normal season. Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1st to November 30th each year. 

The NOAA predicts we’ll see 13 to 20 named storms with 6 to 10 of those reaching winds of 74 MPH, the threshold for a storm to be considered a hurricane. Of the predicted 6 to 10 hurricanes, the NOAA predicts 3 to 5 will become major storms with winds reaching 111 MPH or higher. 

“Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo. “The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms.”

A Look Back at 2020 Hurricane Season

2020 was the most active hurricane season ever recorded with 31 tropical cyclones in total. 30 of the 31 grew strong enough to be named storms and 14 of the 31 reached hurricane-force winds. Though no storms reached Category 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale for the first time since 2015, five storms reached Category 4 status with wind speeds of 130+ MPH. 

“Although NOAA scientists don’t expect this season to be as busy as last year, it only takes one storm to devastate a community,” said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator. “The forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are well-prepared with significant upgrades to our computer models, emerging observation techniques, and the expertise to deliver the life-saving forecasts that we all depend on during this, and every, hurricane season.”

The NOAA also released the list of storm names for the upcoming season, check them out and let us know your favorite one! 

Photo: NOAA