Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins Saturday, June 1, and experts say they are concerned about rapidly intensifying storms during what is predicted to be an active storm season.
A shift to a La Nina pattern combined with warm ocean temperatures is a red flag for meteorologists, according to a release this week from AccuWeather.
“The fear is that as we enter the heart of the tropical season, the sea-surface temperature may eclipse the record-breaking season that was 2023,” AccuWeather Lead Hurricane Forecaster Alex DaSilva said. “2023 is the benchmark for the warmest that the Atlantic basin has ever been in recorded history. Tropical storms and hurricanes love to feed off of warm ocean water.”
The warmer the ocean, he said, the more favorable the environment for tropical development and intensification.
AccuWeather’s forecast calls for 20 to 25 named storms, 4-7 of which will strengthen into major hurricanes. AccuWeather’s forecast calls for 4-6 direct U.S. impacts.
“This year we’re exceptionally concerned about the Texas coast, Florida Panhandle, South Florida, and the Carolinas,” warned DaSilva. “Storm surge and rainfall flooding are the deadliest threats from a hurricane.”
