The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has issued its outlook for the upcoming hurricane season, warning that the five years since Hurricane Sandy made landfall have been particularly active. “Looking ahead to the upcoming season, tropical storms and hurricanes are not expected to be as active as in previous years,” the NOAA states.
The season will begin on June 1. “Hurricane activity is forecast to increase slightly, with the most likely scenario being that the 2011-2015 averages are surpassed, with 11 tropical storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes,” NOAA officials warn. Four named storms are expected to develop into hurricanes, the National Hurricane Center predicts. A hurricane season’s peak season is June 1-Sept. 30.
The long-term forecast for the Atlantic basin is for a modest increase in activity over the next 5-to-10 years, but with above-average activity for this upcoming season. NOAA officials say there is a need for greater building or relocation of coastal sea walls.