Colorado State University updates their 2020 Atlantic hurricane season forecast, increasing the predicted number of this season’s named storms from 19 to 20. CSU forecaster Jhordanne Jones says while we’ve seen smaller storms pop up so far, the season’s peak may pack a bigger punch.
“We are still just a month out from the actual peak of the hurricane season, so it definitely suggest that we would have a lot more activity during August to October,” said Jones.
So far there have been five named storms and there’s a potential a sixth named storm will form off the coast of the Carolinas.
Jones says the bumped up forecast comes as the result of several factors, including above average sea surface temps in the north Atlantic.
“In fact, those warm waters have shifted slightly towards the eastern coast of the US,” said Jones.
Jones says there has also been no development of an El Nino that would suppress hurricane activity.
“Projections are actually showing that we might move into a weaker La Nina system, so that is definitely peak conditions for hurricane activity,” said Jones.
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