TEXAS - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted an above average Atlantic Hurricane Season today. Forecasters with NOAA’s climate prediction center expect a busy year because of a weak or non-existent El Nino phases..
NOAA defines El Niño as the warm phase in a 2-phase recurring climate pattern across the tropical pacific. The cool phase has been named La Niña. Together both are called the El Niño-Southern Oscillation, or “ENSO” for short.
Lead seasonal hurricane forecaster Gerry Bell, Ph.D. said, “the outlook reflects our expectation of a weak or non-existent El Nino, near or above average sea surface temperatures and an average or weaker-than-average vertical wind shear in that same region.”
The annual prediction calls for 11 – 17 named storms, 5 – 9 hurricanes, and 2 – 4 major hurricanes.
The Atlantic Hurricane season will begin June 1 and will last through November 30.
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