An Unusually Active Hurricane Season Is in Store for the Atlantic

Another above-average hurricane season will threaten the Atlantic this year, with as many as six storms affecting the U.S., AccuWeather Inc. said.

Between 13 and 18 storms will at least reach tropical storm strength, and seven to 10 of those are expected to become hurricanes with winds of at least 74 miles (119 kilometers) per hour, AccuWeather said Wednesday.

Out of that hurricane total, the commercial forecaster predicts three to five may become major storms with winds of 111 mph or more. Last year, several hurricanes hit the U.S. Gulf Coast, bringing devastation from Texas to Florida and across the southern Appalachians. A typical six-month Atlantic season, which begins June 1, usually consists of about 14 storms that are named when their organization and winds reach tropical-storm strength.

The Atlantic season is closely followed because the storms can shake energy, agriculture and financial markets, as well as create political pitfalls for elected officials. Hurricane Helene last year killed at least 249 people across the southeastern US and southern Appalachians, making it the deadliest storm to strike the contiguous US since Katrina in 2005, according to the U.S. National Hurricane Center.

In this satellite image handout from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Hurricane Bill is seen in the Atlantic Ocean August 18, 2009 east of the Leeward Islands. Photo by NOAA via Getty Images.