The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in the United States is predicting hurricane activity in the North Atlantic Ocean to be near normal or above normal this year.
The agency released its hurricane seasonal outlook today, May 24, and is forecasting 10 to 16 named storms, five to nine hurricanes and one to four major hurricanes.
Environment and Climate Change Canada’s Canadian Hurricane Centre is urging Canadians to be prepared for the 2018 hurricane season, which starts on June 1 and runs until Nov. 30.
The department says, regardless of the number of storms forecast for the entire Atlantic Basin, the centre typically responds to three to four tropical cyclone events annually – one or two of which affects land and another two or three that are offshore.
Hurricanes are normally more of a concern in Canadian waters in the fall months.
The 2017 tropical cyclone season in the Atlantic Basin was the most active hurricane season since 2005, according to the department.
The Canadian Hurricane Centre issued 50 hurricane statements about five tropical cyclones that entered the Canadian response zone last year.
