June 1 marks the start of hurricane season in the Atlantic Ocean. Forecasters are warning that this year could once again bring an above-average number of storms. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is predicting 13 to 19 named storms between June 1 and Nov. 30, compared with an average of 14 storms per year from 1991-2020.
Warmer ocean temperatures are contributing to more storms, NOAA said in its May forecast, because more heat means more energy to fuel activity.
Experts advise that people should prepare well in advance, even if they live inland.
“It takes only one storm near you to make this an active season for you,” Professor Michael Bell, who leads Colorado State University’s Tropical Cyclones, Radar, Atmospheric Modeling, and Software Team, said in a statement.