Canadian Hurricane Centre expects a busy season, urges preparedness
Canadian forecasters agree with their colleagues that we’re likely in for an active Atlantic hurricane season this year
Experts with the Canadian Hurricane Centre (CHC) expect a busy Atlantic hurricane season again this year.
This expectation lines up with forecasters from NOAA and Colorado State University, who all anticipate above-average tropical cyclone activity across the Atlantic basin this summer and fall.
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The CHC announced on Friday that forecasters expect 13-19 named storms this year, with six to ten of those storms growing into hurricanes, and three to five of those hurricanes achieving Category 3 intensity or stronger.
An average hurricane season across the Atlantic produces around 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
Every Atlantic hurricane season since 2016 has featured above-average activity.
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“On average, three or four tropical cyclone events impact Canada each hurricane season, with one or two making impact on Canadian soil and two or three threatening offshore waters,” Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) said in its press release on Friday.
The agency added: “Hurricanes are typically of greater concern later in the season, as that is when our waters reach their peak warmth.”
Multiple factors favour an above-average season this year, including warm ocean waters, the lack of El Niño, and an anticipated uptick in monsoon activity over western Africa.
Stay with The Weather Network throughout hurricane season for all the latest forecasts and information.
Header image of 2018's Hurricane Florence courtesy of NASA.