The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be close to “normal” this year but it only takes one storm to devastate a community, government forecasters…
The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be close to “normal” this year but it only takes one storm to devastate a community, government forecasters said Thursday.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said in its pre-season outlook that a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season is most likely this year.
“Thats still a lot of activity,” said Gerry Bell, the lead hurricane forecaster at NOAAs Climate Prediction Center.
SUBTROPICAL STORM ANDREA FORMS, THEN FIZZLES OUT DAYS BEFORE 2019 HURRICANE SEASON BEGINS
NOAA forecasters are calling for 9 to 15 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher, of which 4 to 8 could strengthen into hurricanes. Of those storms, there will be 2 to 4 major hurricanes, which are classified as Category 3,4, and 5 with winds of 111 mph or higher.
There already has been one named storm this season, when subtropical storm Andrea formed Monday and quickly fizzled a day later over the Atlantic, southwest of Bermuda.
An average hurricane season produces 12 named storms, of which 6 become hurricanes, including 3 major hurricanes, according to NOAA.
