NOAA Issues Its Most Aggressive Storm Forecast Yet Ahead Of Hurricane Season
HuffPost
The agency has warned of an 85% chance of an above-normal season, with up to seven major hurricanes expected in the Atlantic over the next six months.
This year’s hurricane season in the Atlantic is expected to be among the worst in decades, the U.S. government’s weather agency warned Thursday.
Meteorologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are forecasting an 85% chance of an above-normal season, with four to seven major hurricanes — storms producing winds of 111 mph or more — predicted to develop over the next six months.
“The forecast for named storms, hurricanes, and major hurricanes is the highest NOAA has ever issued for the May outlook,” Rick Spinrad, the agency’s administrator, said in a news conference.
In total, the agency expects 17 to 25 storms strong enough to be named, including eight to 13 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes. NOAA said its forecasters have a 70% confidence in these ranges.
The forecast is similar to those made by other meteorologists.
