NOAA forecast above-average Atlantic hurricane season, releases storm names

NOAA’s 2022 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook predicts 14 to 21 named storms, meaning winds of 39 mph or greater, with 14 being the average.

“NOAA is forecasting an above-average 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, which would make this year the seventh consecutive above-average season,” said NOAA Administrator Dr. Rick Spinrad. “Specifically, there’s a 65% chance of an above-average season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season, and just a 10% chance of a below-average season.”

It includes six to ten hurricanes, meaning winds of 74 mph or greater (average is seven), and three to six major Category 3/4/5 hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or greater (average is three).

NOAA also released storm names for the upcoming hurricane season as needed.

These are: Alex, Bonnie, Colin, Danielle, Earl, Fiona, Gaston, Hermione, Ian, Julia, Karl, Lisa, Martin, Nicole, Owen, Paula, Richard, Shary, Tobias, Virginie, Walter

“We have just experienced two extremely active hurricane seasons, which is the first time on record that two consecutive hurricane seasons have exhausted the list of 21 business names,” said Dr. spin wheel. “If you go back two years to the 2020 hurricane season, which broke all records and is the most active season on record with 30 named storms, gave us 21 named storms with impact and damage ranging from the Appalachian Mountains to New England in excess of $78 billion. Of course, one of those storms, Hurricane Ida, had a tremendous impact here in New York City, hundreds of miles north of where it made landfall.

Experts say the reasons for the active hurricane season are:
–Persistent La Nina conditions that will continue throughout the summer and into early fall.
–Warmer than normal Atlantic sea surface temperature.
–Weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds
–A strengthened African monsoon feeding the strongest and longest hurricanes.

“Hurricane Ida swept through nine states and showed that anyone can be in the direct path of a hurricane and at risk from the remnants of a storm system,” said FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell. “It’s important that everyone understand their risk and take proactive steps to prepare now by visiting Ready.gov and Listo.gov for tips on how to prepare and by downloading the FEMA app to ensure that he will receive real-time emergency alerts.”

The way climate affects hurricanes is still an area of ​​study for NOAA scientists. In recent years, landfall storms have rapidly intensified, fueled by above-average sea surface temperatures.

In recent decades, the growth of urban areas has seen other extremes such as record flooding in areas never seen before.

NOAA’s outlook reflects all seasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast.

The hurricane season lasts from June 1st to November 30th.