By Erwin Seba
(Reuters) – The Atlantic hurricane season is poised to deliver another round of above-normal storms for the seventh consecutive year, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said on Tuesday.
NOAA forecasters estimate 14 to 21 named storms and 3 to 6 major hurricanes will develop during the June 1 to November 30 season. A major hurricane packs winds of at least 111 miles per hour (178 km/h) and can cause devastating damage.
Climate change is warming ocean temperatures that have led to more destructive and damaging storms, forecasters say. NOAA’s call for an above-average storm season follows Colorado State University, which last month predicted 19 named storms, 9 hurricanes and four major hurricanes.
An average season generates 14 named storms and 7 hurricanes, figures increased last year after a recalculation. NOAA cited improved satellite monitoring and climate change in raising the numbers for a normal year.
Last year’s 21 named Atlantic storms cost about $80.6 billion in insured damages with Hurricane Ida, a Category 4 hurricane when it struck Louisiana and which brought winds and flooding all the way to New York. It led to about $36 billion in losses.
The NOAA forecast calls for 6 to 10 hurricanes in total. A tropical storm brings sustained winds of at least 39 mph (63 kph) while hurricanes have winds of at least 74 mph.
Forecasters say unseasonably high temperatures, warmer than average seas that provide energy for tropical cyclones and the absence of an El Nino weather pattern are indicators of an active storm season.
(Reporting by Erwin Seba; editing by Gary McWilliams)
