CSU researcher Phil Klotzbach pointed out that none this year have grown into hurricanes. Saharan dust has suppressed storm development in the hurricane-spawning grounds of the tropical Atlantic (Philadelphia Inquirer).
With an early jump-start to the season, a record number of named storms, and a storm reaching states that don't normally see tropical systems, this season is off to a fast and interesting start (CNN).
The CSU Tropical Meteorology Project team is now predicting 19 named storms in 2020, including the three named storms that have already formed.
“The hurricane season is coming whether we want it to or not,” Klotzbach said. “And regardless of the seasonal forecasts, people need to be prepared every year.” (NBC News)
Abnormally warm sea temperatures are raising the risks for hurricanes, while the central and southeastern U.S. face flooding, and parts of the West are forecast to see heightened wildfire activity (Discover Magazine).
The 2020 hurricane season will be busier than normal, with 16 named storms predicted, according to scientists at Colorado State University (Miami Herald).
The Tropical Meteorology Project team is predicting 16 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, which runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.
The COVID-19 pandemic is very similar to hurricane season in some ways. Even if improvement happens, the fallout from COVID-19 in the healthcare, first responder, economic and emergency management communities will remain for hurricane season (Forbes).
CSU scientist Phil Klotzbach said the minimum central surface pressure of a tropical cyclone is a better indicator of potential storm damage than wind speed (Palm Beach Post).
“If you were to poll 50 scientists to see how climate change has affected hurricanes, you would get so many different answers,” said Phil Klotzbach, an atmospheric scientist at Colorado State University (NBC News).