Hurricane season begins June 1st. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is forecasting a more or less “average” season.
Temperatures in the Atlantic are slightly above average. El Nino will also be a factor. They’re predicting 12 – 17 named storms. To be a named storm, winds must exceed 39 mph. A storm must pack winds greater than 74 mph to be a hurricane. NOAA predicts 5 to 9 hurricanes for 2023. Forecasters are predicting between 1 and 4 major hurricanes (category 3 or higher) with winds exceeding 111 mph. Experts advise the time to prepare is now, so you don’t have to fight crowds and potentially be unable to obtain needed supplies.
This year’s names are Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.
Source: noaa.gov