Federal forecasters are expecting another busy Atlantic hurricane season in 2022. There will be as many as 10 hurricanes forming. The season will begin on June 1 and will run through Nov. 30. An average season typically spawns seven hurricanes and peaks in August and September. If predictions become true, it will be a record seventh consecutive year of above-normal activity.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said 14 to 21 named storms will develop. This number includes tropical storms. These storms contain wind speeds of 39 mph or higher. Storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph.
Of the predicted hurricanes, three to six could be major hurricanes. Those will be packing wind speeds of 111 mph or higher. The predicted active season is a result of several climate factors. These include the ongoing La Niña which is likely to persist throughout the hurricane season.
El Niño is a natural warming of ocean water in the tropical Pacific Ocean. It tends to suppress Atlantic hurricane activity.La Niña is the opposite of El Niño. El Niño is a cooling of that same water. Forecasts include storms that spin up in the Atlantic Ocean, the Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
