The hurricane forecast team at Colorado State University is calling for an above-average hurricane season. Lead researcher Phil Klotzbach says warm water in the Atlantic will help produce 17 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes and the chances of an El Nino are quite low.
“An El Nino tends to increase those levels of vertical windshear. Vertical windshear: Good for us, bad for the hurricane,” Klotzbach said.
Researcher Lauren Beard says, based on their research, there’s a 33% chance that a major hurricane will hit the Gulf Coast from the Florida panhandle to Brownsville, Texas.
“This is slightly above average. The historical average is 27%, so we’re up 6% from that,” Beard said.
Beard says ocean temperatures are not as warm as last year, but it is above average and says to stay updated on severe weather in your area.
“My biggest piece of advice for all those residents and visitors in the Louisiana area is that it only takes one storm near you to make it an active season for your area,” Beard said.
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