Atlantic Hurricane Season to Be Above Average This Year

The Colorado State University (CSU) forecasts an  "above-average" 2021 Atlantic hurricane season due to favorable temperatures in the Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico.

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The CSU Tropical Meteorology Project team predicted 17 named storms during the upcoming hurricane season lasting from June 1st until November 30th. At least eight of these storms might become hurricanes, and four of them could develop into a category three hurricane or above.

CSU warned that the 2021 hurricane season shows similar patterns to those observed during the 1996, 2001, 2008, 2011, and 2017 periods. 

The ongoing La Nina weather pattern and well-above-average temperatures at the Atlantic sea are factors triggering an active hurricane forecast. This year, hurricane activity will be about 140 percent of the average season. 

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported a record number of 30 named storms last year, 13 of which were hurricanes, and six were major hurricanes.

Hurricane Iota was the 13th storm and the 6th major hurricane in 2020. It was also the 2nd major hurricane to form in November, soon after hurricane Eta, which left a death toll of 211 people across Central America and Mexico. 

Laura was the 2nd deadliest storm last year, with 77 reported fatalities along its path from Haiti to Louisiana and Texas in the U.S.