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Change in the forecast: Atlantic warming prompts researchers to call for above-average hurricane season

PRE News & Ideas | By Annette Weston-Riggs
Published July 7, 2023 at 9:39 AM EDT
Hurricane Dorian's outer bands are lashing Florida as the storm moves northward along the U.S. coastline.
NOAA/NESDIS/STAR/GOES-East
File: Hurricane Dorian's outer bands lashed Florida as the storm moved northward along the U.S. coastline.

Colorado State University researchers are now calling for an above-average hurricane season.

They update the hurricane forecast every month or so, and now they are predicting 18 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes.

In their April forecast, they predicted five fewer named storms, three fewer hurricanes and two fewer major hurricanes.

They have changed the forecast because of an increase in the water temperature in the Atlantic.

Researchers said there is more uncertainty than normal with this year’s outlook because of conflicting signals between much warmer than normal Atlantic waters and an expected robust El Niño for the peak of the hurricane season.
Annette Weston-Riggs
Annette is originally a Midwest gal, born and raised in Michigan, but with career stops in many surrounding states, the Pacific Northwest, and various parts of the southeast. She has been involved in the media industry in eastern North Carolina for more than three years. An award-winning journalist and mother of four, Annette moved to ENC to be closer to family – in particular, her two young grandchildren. It’s possible that a -27 day with a -68 windchill in Minnesota may have also played a role in that decision. In her spare time, Annette does a lot of toddler and baby cuddling, reading, designing costumes for children’s theater and producing the coolest Halloween costumes anyone has ever seen. She has also worked as a diversity and inclusion facilitator serving school districts and large corporations. It’s the people that make this beautiful area special, and she wants to share those stories that touch the hearts of others. If you have a story idea to share, please reach out by email to westona@cravencc.edu.
See stories by Annette Weston-Riggs