PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — The hurricane season is fast approaching and meteorologists predict more storms, more hurricanes and more hurricanes hitting the U.S. coastline than any year before.
“We are forecasting 20 to 25 named storms, eight to 12 hurricanes and four to seven major hurricanes,” said Alex DaSilva, lead hurricane forecaster at AccuWeather, of expectations for the Atlantic hurricane season.
He says four to six of those hurricanes are expected to hit the U.S.
“For a normal hurricane season we see 14 named storms, for the number of hurricanes in an average season, the number is seven,” he said. “Major hurricanes, we typically see three in an average season.”
There are two factors for these record projections. “The water temperatures across the entire Atlantic basin, basically, are above average,” he explained. “In fact, they are actually in record territory for this time of year.”
The other factor is an anticipated cooling in the eastern Pacific. Typically water temperatures in that area along the equator can change wind directions to help mitigate hurricane impact, but if those waters cool that might contribute to hurricane intensity.
“We are highlighting the Texas coast, the Florida panhandle, South Florida and the Carolinas,” said DaSilva. “Obviously, those areas are prone to hurricanes every year but this year they are at a heightened risk for hurricanes this year.”
DaSilva says residents in coastal areas should check their evacuation zones, so they know when their area is under mandatory evacuation. Those zones change from year to year.