The ‘800 pound gorilla’ in the Gulf of Mexico that could supercharge hurricanes this season
by Justine Calma from The Verge - All Posts on (#5ZKCV)
Trees sway in the wind from Hurricane Ida in downtown New Orleans, Louisiana, on August 29th, 2021. | Image: Luke Sharrett/Bloomberg via Getty Images Forecasters expect a busy 2022 Atlantic hurricane season, with a 65 percent chance of an above-average season. There's also a wildcard in the mix that raises the risk of more severe storms in the Gulf of Mexico this year.
Between 14 to 21 tropical storms could grow powerful enough to be named this season, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said in its season outlook briefing, which was released today. The average Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1st, typically has about 14 named storms. Another prominent forecast from Colorado State University predicted 19 named storms this year.
NOAA expects six to 10 storms to strengthen into hurricanes. NOAA also forecast between three to six major hurricanes,...