The peak of hurricane season may produce more dangerous storms than originally predicted, federal hurricane forecasters said Thursday, as oceanic and atmospheric conditions become more favorable for the production of hurricanes.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration increased its forecast for hurricane season to five to nine hurricanes, up from its forecast of four to eight issued at the beginning of the season, the agency announced in a Thursday phone call with reporters.
The main reason for the increase was the news of the end of the Pacific Ocean phenomenon called El Niño, said Gerry Bell, NOAA’s lead hurricane season forecaster. This periodic increase in ocean temperatures has worldwide impact, including the production of the high-level wind shear that can tear up hurricanes before they can form. Without El Niño, it will be easier for hurricanes to come together.
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