Hurricane season begins in the United States. Storm activity is expected to be higher than normal

The season is expected to bring about 13 to 20 named storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in a Statement in May that there was a 60 percent chance that the Atlantic hurricane season, from Tuesday (June 1) to November 30, would be a "higher than normal" season. 20.

According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, this season is likely to bring 13 to 20 named storms, or storms with wind speeds of 39 mph (63 km/h) or higher. Of these storms, 6 to 10 may become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph (119 km/h) or higher, and 3 to 5 may be "major" hurricanes with winds of 111 mph (179 km/h).

An average hurricane season brings about 14 named storms, including 3 large hurricanes and 4 weaker hurricanes, the statement said.

This year's hurricane season follows the unusually active hurricane season of 2020, which broke the record for 30 named storms; by September, the National Hurricane Center (NHC) had run out of preset names for storms and began naming them in Greek letters, Live Science had previously reported. This wasn't the first time this had happened last year: In 2005, when an extremely active hurricane season brought in 28 named storms, the NHC also had to use greek letters.

"While NOAA scientists don't expect this season to be as busy as last year, it only takes one storm to destroy a community," NOAA Acting Administrator Ben Friedman said in a statement. "Forecasters at the National Hurricane Center are well prepared to make a major upgrade to our computer models, emerging observational technologies and expertise to deliver the life-saving forecasts we rely on this and every hurricane season."

The first Atlantic storm of the year will be named "Anna," the second "Bill," followed by "Claudet, Danny, Elsa, Fred, Grace," and more; according to the National Hurricane Center and the Central Pacific Hurricane Center, the last storm on the list is "Wanda."

The intensity, frequency, and duration of North Atlantic hurricanes have increased since the 1980s; according to NASA, storm intensity and rainfall rates are expected to continue to increase as climate change continues to warm the planet.

This year's increase in activity is a "sustained era of high activity," above-average sea surface temperatures, weakened shear in tropical Atlantic winds (which can expend energy from storms when strong), and more combined effects of the West African monsoon, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, activity and a neutral climate model known as the El Niño South Oscillation do not inhibit hurricane activity.

While the Atlantic Ocean may experience an above-average number of storms, the number of storms in the Central Pacific may be average or below average, with only about 2 to 5 tropical cyclones expected to form; according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, there are an average of four to five tropical cyclones in the region. The Central Pacific hurricane season also lasted from June 1 to November 30.

In preparation for hurricane season, people should visit the Federal Emergency Management Agency's (FEMA) Ready.gov website and visit the NHC's hurricanes.gov for hurricane warnings throughout the season, the statement said.

Originally published in Live Science.

The 2021 Atlantic hurricane season has officially begun, with above-average storms expected in the coming months.