The list is out and some 18 named tropical storms are expected this year.
This year the names are: Andrea, Barry, Chantal, Dorian, Erin, Fernand, Gabrielle, Humberto, Ingrid, Jerry, Karen, Lorenzo, Melissa, Nestor, Olga, Pablo, Rebekah, Sebastien, Tanya, Van and Wendy.
Of the 18, nine are expected to become hurricanes with four to be major hurricanes, says the latest Atlantic Basin Seasonal Hurricane Forecast by noted forecasters at the Colorado State University, Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray.
According to Klotzbach and Gray, they anticipate the 2013 Atlantic basin hurricane season will have enhanced activity compared with the 1981-2010 climatology.
The forecasters noted that the tropical Atlantic has anomalously warmed over the past several months and it appears that the chances of an El Niño event this summer and fall are unlikely.
“We anticipate an above-average probability for major hurricanes making landfall along the United States coastline and in the Caribbean,” said the release.
“Coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them, and they need to prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much or how little activity is predicted.”
Forecasters are estimating 95 named storm days and 40 hurricane days.
This forecast is said to be based on a new extended-range early April statistical prediction scheme that was developed utilizing 29 years of past data.
Hurricane season begins June 1 and closes November 30 each year.
It is noted that while the season has defined open and closing dates, there have been storms pre and post season; therefore everyone in those zones are always to be on the alert.
By Yasmin Popsecu
Freeport News Reporter
