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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) said Tuesday that its forecasters are predicting above-average hurricane activity this year.
The agency said that the outlook would make 2022 the seventh consecutive above-average Atlantic hurricane season.
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It predicts a 65% chance of an above-normal season, a 25% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% chance of a below-normal season.
There is a likelihood of 14 to 21 named storms and six to 10 of those storms could become hurricanes.
In addition, three to six of those could become major hurricanes, with winds of 111 mph or higher.
The Atlantic hurricane season extends from June 1 to Nov. 30.
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NOAA attributed the increased activity to the ongoing La Niña weather pattern, warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, weaker tropical Atlantic trade winds and an enhanced west African monsoon.
“Hurricane Ida spanned nine states, demonstrating that anyone can be in the direct path of a hurricane and in danger from the remnants of a storm system,” FEMA Administrator Deanne Criswell said in a statement. “It’s important for everyone to understand their risk and take proactive steps to get ready now by visiting Ready.gov and Listo.gov for preparedness tips, and by downloading the FEMA App to make sure you are receiving emergency alerts in real-time.”
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NOAA has also issued outlooks for the eastern Pacific and central Pacific hurricane basins and plans to update the Atlantic seasonal outlook in early August.
According to Fox Weather, last year’s Atlantic hurricane season was the third most active on record, producing 21 named storms and seven hurricanes.
