Above average hurricane season is expected in the Atlantic this year, according to the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
The agency predicts 13 to 20 named storms in the 2021 season in the Atlantic. Of these - from 6 to 10 hurricanes with a maximum wind speed of at least 100 km per hour. Three to five of these storms are projected to be major category 3, 4, or 5 hurricanes, with maximum wind speeds of at least 130 km per hour.
The agency says there is a 60% chance that the Atlantic hurricane season will be higher than usual, but it is not expected to be as intense as last year's record of 30 named storms. “Based on our current data and analysis, we do not expect the 2021 hurricane season to be as active as 2020,” said Matthew Rosencrans, lead expert at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center.
Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1, but a storm is brewing that could turn into a subtropical cyclone. In this case, it will receive the name Ana - the first in the list of names for cyclones of 2021.