Forecasters now predict “below normal” Atlantic hurricane season

A satellite view of a hurricane

Forecasters have said that the 2018 Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be below normal, contrary to the nightmarish season of 2017, according to USA Today.

An updated prediction, released Thursday by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), stated that this sub-par activity is partly due to a developing El Niño.

El Niño refers to the warming of the surface of the Pacific Ocean. This usually suppresses hurricane activity by sending strong winds across the Atlantic and Caribbean, causing developing storms to disintegrate.

Forecasters say that there is a 70-percent chance that El Niño will form during the hurricane season.

Ultimately, the development of nine to thirteen tropical storms within the region have been forecast by the NOAA. As many as seven of these storms are predicted to form hurricanes.

The forecast includes Tropical Storms Alberto, Beryl, Chris, and Debby, which have already formed.

Last year, 17 named storms formed, of which 10 were hurricanes, including the devastating Harvey, Irma and Maria.

On the contrary, while the Atlantic hurricane season is expected to be calm, the opposite is true for the eastern and central Pacific Ocean where El Nino tends to boost hurricane activity. Already, 11 named storms have formed there.

The hurricane season officially runs from June 1 to November 30.

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12 Comments

  1. jit
    August 20, 2018

    praise the lord

  2. Self
    August 16, 2018

    This is called climate change, God is in charge.

  3. Channel 1
    August 16, 2018

    Good news. Now if only Category 100 Hurricane Skerrit would just get de hence and leave Dominica & Dominicans alone. Phew!!!

    • Tom Brown
      August 17, 2018

      sick people. what you wish for one might fall on you.

      • Channel 1
        August 17, 2018

        @Tom Brown – Go read a book. Phew!!!

        And yes I wish for Category 100 Hurricane Skerrit to get de hence and leave Dominica & Dominicans alone.

        Toodles…

    • Dominican
      August 17, 2018

      Stop crying will ya?

  4. anonymous2
    August 16, 2018

    There is no such thing a weather forecasting anymore, not that they were only right half the time anyway when there was no weather manipulation going on. The weather can change to anything they want within 24 yrs.
    Whenever you hear the term ‘sustainability” equate it with “genocide.” If you want an example, look at what they are doing to Africa right now……..weather manipulation and constant wars.

    • DA Fails
      August 16, 2018

      So you think man can control the weather now? They might as well be your god, start praying to them :lol:

      • Pragmatik
        August 18, 2018

        Man can control life (genetic modification, medicine etc) why not weather?

    • Earthling
      August 17, 2018

      In regards to Africa and India, millions of trees are being planted in an effort to “control” climatic effects, as well as in China where cloud seeding is being done on grand scales to promote rains. Incidentally it was a year ago today Dominica was under a storm watch for Harvey.

  5. Patience
    August 16, 2018

    I agree with that.

  6. JV
    August 16, 2018

    Yay!! Don’t want to face another Maria.

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