- The Washington Times - Friday, May 21, 2021

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are projecting a 60% chance of a busier-than-normal hurricane season in the Atlantic, a 30% chance of a near-normal season and a 10% of a less active season. But forecasters at the agency do not expect to see the record level of storm activity witnessed this last season, NOAA officials said Thursday. 

The 2021 hurricane season could see 13 to 20 named storms with winds of 39 mph or higher. Six to 10 of those could turn into hurricanes with winds of 74 mph or higher, including three to five major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher. The NOAA said it has 70% confidence in these predictions. 

An Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 through Nov. 30. An average hurricane season sees 14 named storms, of which seven become hurricanes including three major hurricanes. 

“Now is the time for communities along the coastline as well as inland to get prepared for the dangers that hurricanes can bring,” said Secretary of Commerce Gina Raimondo in a statement. “The experts at NOAA are poised to deliver life-saving early warnings and forecasts to communities, which will also help minimize the economic impacts of storms.”

Last hurricane season, the U.S. experienced an unprecedented 30 named storms, breaking the previous record of 28 storms from 2005. Thirteen of the 30 named storms turned into hurricanes, including six major hurricanes. To name some of the storms, the NOAA had to pull from the Greek alphabet for the second time in history.

• Shen Wu Tan can be reached at stan@washingtontimes.com.

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