Forecasters at the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have predicted that this year’s hurricane season will be near-normal, with between 12 to 17 named storms.
In an update today, NOAA said its data showed there is a 40 per cent chance of a near-normal season, a 30 per cent chance of an above-normal season and a 30 per cent chance of a below-normal season.
This hurricane season will see a clash between natural and manmade weather features that can suppress or fuel hurricane activity.
An El Nino is expected to develop in the summer months and this weather phenomenon tends to suppress Atlantic Hurricane activity.
But warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea have the potential to fuel cyclone activity.
NOAA said these factors are part of the longer-term variability in Atlantic atmospheric and oceanic conditions that are conducive to hurricane development — known as the high-activity era for Atlantic hurricanes — which have been producing more active Atlantic hurricane seasons since 1995.
The 2023 Atlantic Hurricane Season is set to run from June 1 to November 30.(Loop)
