After the start of the hurricane season in the North Pacific Ocean last Wednesday, May 15, the National Office of Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published the official list of names for the natural phenomena that will occur this year in the United States and the coast of Mexico.
During the first half of 2024, profuse tornado activity has been recorded in the United States. Now, experts predict that the hurricane season will be above average, with the possibility of up to 13 of these phenomena, which especially puts the inhabitants of Florida, the coastal states of the Gulf of Mexico and those in the south of the American west coast on alert.
The forecast, which this government agency NOAA makes every May, reflects that this year a total of between 17 and 25 storms may form, that is, with sustained winds above 62 kilometers per hour.
“Of note, the forecast for named storms, hurricanes and major hurricanes is the highest NOAA has ever issued for May,” NOAA Administrator Rick Spinrad said during a press briefing today.
Through an official statement, the organization shared the official list of hurricane names for this season, which appear in the following list: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Francine, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Milton, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sara, Tony, Valerie and William.
On the other hand, for the hurricanes that will take place in the North Pacific Ocean, NOAA published the list with the following names: Aletta, Bud, Carlotta, Daniel, Emilia, Fabio, Gilma, Héctor, Ileana, John, Kristy, Lane, Miriam, Norman, Olivia, Paul, Rosa, Sergio, Tara, Vicente, Willa, Xavier, Yolanda and Zeke.
Regarding the use of proper names to name hurricanes, the US National Hurricane Center (NHC), which depends on NOAA, explains that the use of short and distinctive names “it is faster and less prone to errors”
NOAA estimates that This year’s high activity in the Atlantic basin is due to “a confluence of factors” that usually favor the formation of stormsmainly to “near record warm ocean temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the development of La Niña conditions in the Pacific.
Likewise, reduced Atlantic trade winds and lower wind shear will help produce a season with a number of cyclones above the 14 named storms that an average season has.
Keep reading:
• They warn that the hurricane season in the United States this year will be above average
• At least 7 dead reported in Houston after storms with 100 mph winds
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