The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued a dire warning about the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, predicting between 17 to 25 named tropical cyclones, the most ever forecast in May. Forecasters believe up to 13 of these storms could become hurricanes, with four to seven major hurricanes expected. The NOAA has stated there is an 85 percent chance of an above-normal season.
With ocean temperatures in the critical area where hurricanes form abnormally warm and rapidly increasing, experts are concerned that these conditions could lead to a hyperactive hurricane season. The warm temperatures can provide additional fuel to storms and sustain their intensity, potentially causing them to intensify rapidly. Forecasters are also predicting the formation of a La Niña weather pattern during the peak of the hurricane season, further increasing the likelihood of above-average storm activity.
Last year’s hurricane season saw 20 named storms due to warmer Atlantic temperatures, and experts fear that this year could be even more severe. The NOAA typically issues an updated forecast in August, and previous seasons with high May forecasts have seen a greater number of named storms than initially predicted. With record warm ocean temperatures and the potential formation of La Niña, experts are preparing for a potentially historic hurricane season in 2023.
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