Hurricane season begins June 1. Each year the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (CSU) in releases its Atlantic hurricane forecast. The meteorologists at the school in Fort Collins, Colo. are predicting a 2020 hurricane season that is “above-average” in terms of hurricane activity.
During an “average” Atlantic hurricane season there is the potential for about 12 named storms. Six of them usually develop into hurricanes, and three of those become “major hurricanes” of Category 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir/Simpson scale.
CSU predictions this year call for 16 named storms, with eight developing into hurricanes and four reaching at least Category 3 status with sustained winds of 111 mph or greater. In addition, meteorologists predict a 44 percent chance of a major hurricane making landfall along the Florida panhandle coastline and westward to Brownsville, Texas. The probability during an average hurricane season is 30 percent.
The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins June 1 and extends through November 30. You can read a summary of the full Colorado State University report HERE.
LPFPD4 has a specific hurricane response plan, and should a tropical storm or hurricane threaten our area the department will activate the plan. We encourage you and your family to develop a customized hurricane response plan, too. It only takes one hurricane to pose a significant threat to life and property. Tips on developing a personal hurricane response plan are available here: