NOAA releases ‘record’-setting Atlantic hurricane season forecast

MIAMI – NOAA released its Atlantic hurricane activity forecast Thursday, which is reportedly the most aggressive “on record.”

The official U.S. weather body expects 17-25 name storms, 8-13 of them to be hurricanes, and 4-7 of those to be major hurricanes of at least category 3 intensity. The confidence of those predictions is 70%, NOAA said.

NOAA said that with conditions entering a La Nina period, there will tend to be lower wind shear in tropical hotspots, paired with “abundant oceanic heat content” to help storms develop.

The National Hurricane Center recently began its tropical weather outlook again, which has now begun eyeing a tropical disturbance that has a low chance of development and will veer off into the ocean away from the U.S.

“With another active hurricane season approaching, NOAA’s commitment to keeping every American informed with life-saving information is unwavering,” said NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad. “AI-enabled language translations and a new depiction of inland wind threats in the forecast cone are just two examples of the proactive steps our agency is taking to meet our mission of saving lives and protecting property.”

A sales tax holiday is coming up for Floridians looking to get prepared.