|
Only have a minute? Listen instead
Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...
|
NOAA released its predictions Tuesday for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season and predicts it will be an above-normal season.
Rick Spinrad, administrator for National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, said there’s a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.
There will be 14 to 21 named storms, 6 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 6 major hurricanes, Spinrad said.
The 14 to 21 named storms will have winds of 39 mph or more, the 6 to 10 hurricanes will have winds of 74 mph or more and the 3 to 6 major hurricanes will have winds of 111 mph or more.
This is the seventh consecutive above-average hurricane season, NOAA said.
“We just experienced two extremely active hurricane seasons marking the first time on record that two consecutive hurricane seasons have exhausted the list of 21 storm names,” Spinrad said. “If you go back two years the 2020 hurricane season broke records across the board and it was the most active season on record with 30 named storms.”
The 2021 hurricane season was the third most active in the terms of named storms brought 21 named storms with impacts ranging from the Appalachian Mountains all the way to New England resulting in millions and millions of damages to the United States.
Forecasters said the increased activity this hurricane season is attributed to several climate factors including the ongoing La Nina that is likely to continue through the hurricane season. La Nina attracts storms.
In addition, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced African monsoon.
“An enhanced west African monsoon supports stronger African Easterly Waves, which seed many of the strongest and longest-lived hurricanes during most seasons,” NOAA forecaster said.
NOAA continues to study how climate change impacts the strength and frequency of tropical cyclones.
The first tropical storm will be named Alex. The second would be named Bonnie.
In April, scientists at Colorado State University predicted the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season would see above normal activity.
They said there would be 19 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major hurricanes. The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season was an active one with 21 named storms, seven hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
Hurricane season runs from June 1 through Nov. 30.
Tropical storm Nicholas came near the Rio Grande Valley in September 2021 but left little if any impact.
