Hurricane season began June 1 and continues through Nov. 30, and forecasters at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration have predicted an above-normal hurricane season, with a range of 17 to 25 named storms in the forecast. Of those, eight are predicted to become hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher.
Forecasters also are predicting four to seven major hurricanes at Category 3 or greater, with winds reaching 111 mph or higher.
According to weather experts, the busier-than-normal season is attributed to a perfect storm of warmer-than-average ocean temperatures combined with La Niña. The warm ocean temperatures fuel storms. La Niña lessens wind shear in the tropics, allowing storms to develop and intensify in the Atlantic basin.
“Severe weather and emergencies can happen at any moment, which is why individuals and communities need to be prepared today,” said Federal Emergency Management Agency deputy administrator Erik Hooks. “Already, we are seeing storms move across the...