For over thirty years, every spring, weather forecasters and weather watchers wait to hear from the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project at Colorado State University (CSU) about how many hurricanes we will have that season. Many meteorologists consider them to be the most credible and comprehensive forecast out there. In April they released their latest forecast predicting near average activity this year.
The group led by Dr. Phil Klotzbach calls for a total of 13 named storms, five hurricanes and two major hurricanes. This is near the 30-year average of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes. The official Atlantic hurricane season runs from June through November.
The CSU outlook is based on more than 30 years of statistical predictors, combined with seasons exhibiting similar features of sea-level pressure and sea-surface temperatures in the Atlantic and eastern Pacific Oceans.
With the Atlantic hurricane season quickly approaching NOAA sponsored a Hurricane Preparedness Week in May. Experts prescribed an action plan that includes determining your risk of being impacted by a hurricane, developing an evacuation plan, checking up on your homeowner’s insurance coverage, shopping for supplies, strengthening your home, identifying your trusted source of information for hurricane information and completing your written hurricane plan that should be kept with your insurance, home ownership and other vital documents in a waterproof folder.
For more information go to: https://www.weather.gov/wrn/hurricane-preparedness
