NOAA predicts that another "above-normal" hurricane season will hit the Atlantic Ocean

The Climate Prediction Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association (NOAA) said in a report released Thursday that the Atlantic Ocean could usher in another serious hurricane season this year. Weather forecasters say there is a 60 percent chance that there will be a season that is above normal, a season that is close to normal in 30 percent, and a season that is lower than normal in 10 percent." ”

Fortunately, they don't expect people to see the same record-breaking storm activity as last year. The Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30.

NOAA expects that in 2021 we will see 13 to 20 named storms, of which 6 to 10 could become hurricanes. In addition, 3 to 5 of them could be large hurricanes. The agency said it had 70 percent confidence in those estimates.

U.S. Commerce Secretary Gina Raimondo said in a statement: "It is time for coastal and inland communities to prepare for the dangers that hurricanes can pose. NOAA's experts are prepared to provide early warning and forecasting to communities that will also help minimize the economic impact of the storm. ”

NoAA said that now that the El Niño Southern oscillation state is in a neutral phase, anti-El Niño may reappear late in the hurricane season.

Matthew Rosencrans, seasonal hurricane forecaster at the NOAA Climate Prediction Center, said in a statement: "El Niño South oscillation neutrality and anti-El Niño support conditions associated with the ongoing era of high activity. Above-average sea surface temperatures are expected in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean Seas, tropical Atlantic trade winds will weaken and West African monsoons will strengthen, which could be factors affecting overall activity this year. ”

Last year was a historic Atlantic hurricane season, and the United States ran out of tropical storm names in September. Scientists predict that there will be more severe flooding in coastal areas in the future due to rising sea levels, while warmer oceans will provide more heat for hurricanes. As the world warms, people begin to worry about the arrival of stronger, wetter hurricanes.

U.S. President Joe Biden said at a news conference Monday that the Federal Emergency Management Agency would provide $1 billion to states, territories, tribes and rural communities — double that from last year. "I insist on being prepared for all these challenges. We're going to make sure that the people at the FMA and other major agencies get everything they need because their jobs are very difficult," Biden said.