Florida - Thursday February 22, 2024: AccuWeather, a private commercial weather forecasting service, is predicting a very active hurricane season this year.
Even though the season does not officially begin until June 1, AccuWeather Chief Meteorologist Jonathan Porter is quoted as saying there are already “serious and growing concerns” about the impending season.
Porter points out that at the end of January, the water temperatures in the Main Development Region of the tropical Atlantic were a staggering 65% higher than the next closest year.
In addition, the current El Niño pattern is likely to change into a La Nina pattern during the later half of the season, which will reduce wind shear and allow more storms to form.
AccuWeather Long-Range Expert Paul Pastelok is quoted as saying that "the second half of the hurricane season is likely to be very active, as conditions will be more favorable for tropical systems,"
AccuWeather meteorologists also warn that there is a risk that a disturbance could develop before the official start of the season and residents along the Gulf Coast and Atlantic Seaboard should remain vigilant.
AccuWeather will release its full 2024 Atlantic hurricane season forecast to business customers and the public in March.
