Forecasters Changing Their Predictions For Hurricane Season
Forecasters changing their predictions for Hurricane Season. New information is coming out from NOAA.
According to NOAA, which is the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, things for our 2023 Hurricane season have now changed and not for the better. The prediction has increased from near-normal level of tropical cyclone activity to an above-normal level of activity. This is all due to record-warm temperatures in the Atlantic that are expected to counterbalance the conditions associated with the ongoing El Niño event in the Pacific. The forecasters said the of an above-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic has been raised to 60%.
How Many Storms Are They Predicting
The new outlook calls for 14-21 named storms. 6-11 of those could become hurricanes. Of those, 2-5 could become major hurricanes with winds of at least 111 mph. Hurricane season runs until November 30th.
Colorado State University (CSU) released their tropical outlook recently that expects 18 named storms with nine becoming hurricanes and four becoming major hurricanes.
The 2023 El Nino is strengthening across the Pacific Ocean, and that normally means fewer tropical systems in the Atlantic Ocean. However, forecasters are concerned that isn’t the case this year.
Peak hurricane season in the Atlantic
August, September and October are considered to be the peak months with more than 85% of tropical systems forming during the three-month period. As the temperatures in the water rise, the chance for storms to form in the Atlantic Ocean goes up. Water temperatures in Manatee Bay reached 101.1 degrees and July was the hottest month on record. So we could be in for a busy couple of months.
So far in 2023, the season is running ahead of normal, with Hurricane Don already having moved through the North Atlantic, which was nearly three weeks ahead of the average first hurricane formation date of Aug. 11.
5 Things You Should Have Before Hurricane Season Starts
Empty Sand Bags
Remember when everyone was scrambling all over Pinellas and Hillsborough counties looking for sand bags? Most pick-up locations were only allowing people to pick up 2-3 bags per person, which is probably not enough to surround your house/belongings.
BBGI
If you order these empty sandbags on Amazon now, you should have them by next week. It will make your life a lot easier to just drive to your nearest beach or causeway and fill the bags up that way.
(Photo by Joe Raedle/Getty Images)
Battery Powered Fan
We all know how crappy it is to lose power in the middle of a hurricane. In some cases, you may not know when it will be restored. Amazon has this really cool battery powered camping lantern with a fan for only $20. Reviews say that 1 set of D batteries lasted them over 10 hours.
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Footwear
If you live in Florida and don’t have a decent pair of rain boots, now is your time to get a pair. If the thought of gross storm water touching your skin freaks you out, you should grab a pair of these knee high waterproof boots.
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Honorary Mention: Board Games/Deck of Cards/Coloring Books
This one may seem obvious, which is why we made it an honorary mention in case it does slip your mind. Remember how bored you were when you lost power from Ian? Some board games, deck of cards, or coloring books should help you pass the time, without killing your phone battery.
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