Colorado State, Accuweather Predict “Extreme” Hurricane Season
The 2009 season ended November 30 had only nine storms, including three hurricanes, and was the quietest since 1997 due in part to El Nino, the eastern Pacific warm water phenomenon that tends to suppress Atlantic hurricanes.
But Phil Klotzbach, lead forecaster with the Colorado State team — whose research is followed closely by energy and commodity markets — said El Nino was expected to dissipate fully by the start of this year’s storm season.
“The dissipating El Nino, along with the expected anomalously warm Atlantic ocean sea surface temperatures, will lead to favorable dynamic and thermodynamic conditions for hurricane formation and intensification,” said Klotzbach.
This year, they’re expecting 15 total named storms, with 6-8 hurricanes, 3-5 of them Category 3 or higher. Don’t get too gloaty, Midwesterners — there’s plenty of flooding and tornadoes to go around too, I’m sure.
U.S. forecaster sees increased 2010 hurricane threat (via SciAm)