The Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be active again this year, according to Colorado State University researchers’ preseason projection, which was released Thursday morning.
Researchers think the Atlantic will be as lively as ever because of several characteristics highlighted in the report, which was presented at the National Tropical Weather Conference in Texas.
This season, 23 named storms are predicted. Of those 23 storms, 11 are predicted to intensify into hurricanes, and 5 of them are predicted to achieve major hurricane status, meaning their winds will reach 111 mph or more.
Colorado State University has never released a preseason forecast this aggressive. Since their first April projections started in 1995, CSU has forecast multiple times, and the previous record for the highest preseason forecast called for nine hurricanes in a season.
The main contributing reason to this year’s storm projection, according to the experts, is the historically warm sea surface temperatures in the eastern and tropical Atlantic.
There are 21 names on the Atlantic Hurricane Season roster. Colorado State University has predicted that the season would run out of names by November 30th. If that happens, the basin will be moved to a secondary name list for the first time since its inception in 2021. Prior to 2021, any storms that arose after the 21st were sorted by the Greek alphabet. There have only been two instances of this happening in history: in 2005 and 2020.
Overall, CSU projects that this year’s storm activity in the Atlantic basin will be roughly 170% more than that of a normal season. Hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin was approximately 120% of the typical season last year.
Updates to Colorado State’s seasonal forecast will be released on June 11, July 9, and August 6.
The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30. Now is an excellent time to consider your options for hurricane preparedness. When the next hurricane or tropical storm decides to make landfall in Florida, be sure that your property is safe.
Here are some tips for preparing for hurricane season:
- Have a plan: Decide on a plan to keep your family and pets safe during the storm.
- Secure your home: Cover windows and doors with plywood, sandbag, or accordion shutters. Seal outside wall openings, including garage doors. Check your roof for loose, cracked, or missing shingles.
- Prepare an emergency kit: Have two weeks’ worth of supplies in a safe place, including non-perishable food and water, medicine, flashlights, batteries, a battery-powered radio, and a portable charger.
- Prepare your car: Fuel up your car so that you can evacuate immediately if need be.
- Plan your evacuation: Know your zone and when to evacuate. Leave as soon as an evacuation order is issued.
- Know Your Insurance Coverage: To find out what kinds of coverage you have on your house, including coverage for hurricane-related damage, read your homeowner’s insurance policy. Verify if your insurance will cover the cost of rebuilding your house if a hurricane or tropical storm destroys it. It is important to understand how your insurance covers replacement costs for your residence and not only for the value of the property at the time you took out the policy.
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