‘Never Been This Hot’: Dire Hurricane Season Forecast As Water Temperatures Cook

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released a dire forecast Thursday for the upcoming Atlantic hurricane season, predicting 17 to 24 named storms for the year.

Citing extremely high water temperatures, NOAA added that 8 to 13 of the storms would likely become hurricanes, with 4 to 7 of them becoming Category 3 or higher.

Fox Weather’s Marissa Torres reported on the forecast, saying, “So you know, when you consider what CSU gave us not that long ago, it’s falling within that window. Hurricanes would be 8 to 13 within those hurricanes. NOAA saying we could see 4 to 7 category three, which would be major hurricanes developing in the Atlantic basin.”

Meteorologist Stephen Morgan added, “If I look at the names and there’s 21 names that we get in the season. So it’s possible for this forecast that that name list could be exhausted.”

“I know that there are a lot of different parameters that we look at, even when we consider what these numbers are. And a big question would be these numbers and these storms that develop, how will how will the season be? Last season we had an above average year — 20 named storms. But the US mainland was vastly spared from a lot of these landfalling storms, with maybe the factors that we can look at El Nino decaying just a bit, dying off, La Nina emerging. Will some of these storms that form have more of a direct impact on the US soil? It’s too early to know,” Morgan concluded.

Storm chaser Colin McCarthy noted of the warm water temperatures that “The Tropical Atlantic has never been this hot before in May. A severe marine heatwave has developed across much of the Tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, with water temperatures up to 5-7°F above normal in some areas. Water temperatures in the Caribbean have already exceeded peak hurricane season levels (mid-September). This will have significant implications for marine life and hurricane season.”

The Tropical Atlantic has never been this hot before in May.

A severe marine heatwave has developed across much of the Tropical Atlantic and Caribbean, with water temperatures up to 5-7°F above normal in some areas.

Water temperatures in the Caribbean have already exceeded… pic.twitter.com/2E4lBseQD8

— Colin McCarthy (@US_Stormwatch) May 22, 2024

Watch the clip above via Fox Weather.