NOAA just released its 2018 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, with predictions of near- or above-normal activity. In fact, NOAA said there’s a 70 percent chance of 10 to 16 named storms developing this season; five to nine of them could become hurricanes, including one to four major hurricanes. Last year there were six major hurricanes in the Atlantic; three of them, Irma, Maria and Harvey, resulted in the loss of 251 lives.
The specific forecast for the season, which runs from June 1 to November 30:
- 35 percent chance of above normal.
- 40 percent of near normal.
- 25 percent of below normal.
NOAA also released its hurricane outlooks for the eastern and central Pacific, predicting an 80 percent chance of near- or above-normal activity for both areas. It calls for seven to 12 hurricanes in the eastern Pacific, and three to six tropical cyclones (which include hurricanes) in the central Pacific.
In the past year, NOAA has upgraded its hardware and software in an effort to make more timely and accurate predictions. “With the advances made in hardware and computing over the course of the last year, the ability of NOAA scientists to both predict the path of storms and warn Americans who may find themselves in harm’s way is unprecedented,” said Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross.
NOAA will update its seasonal outlook in early August, just before the peak of the season. Read more:
