Less than two months away from the start of the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, Colorado State University has released its annual Atlantic hurricane seasonal outlook.
Dr. Phil Klotzbach and his team are forecasting an above-average hurricane season this year.
The average, as of 1991-2020, is 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. The outlook from CSU predicts 19 named storms, nine hurricanes and four major hurricanes for the 2022 season.
It is important to note that this is not a forecast for land-falling tropical systems.
The First Alert Weather Team says many factors are included in the annual CSU hurricane seasonal outlook.
One of the forecast factors is above-average sea surface temperatures and the lack of El Nino developing this year. That would typically suppress some tropical Atlantic hurricane activity by increasing vertical wind shear.
This year, it’s not as big of a factor as we come out of La Nina last year and into a more neutral phase this year.
The first named storm this year will be Alex.
Last year, there were21 named storms across the tropical Atlantic, Caribbean and into the Gulf of Mexico.
It is important to remember that it only takes ONE storm to make it a bad season for you and your family here in Northeast Florida and Southeast Georgia.
The Action News Jax First Weather Team will be tracking each storm as they form through the hurricane season. Chief Meteorologist Mike Buresh’s daily tropics blog, “Talking the Tropics with Mike,” begins on June 1 or earlier, if needed.
Visit the First Alert Hurricane Center for information on how you and your family can prepare for the upcoming season now. The Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1.
For more information from CSU, click here.