WASHINGTON — Just two storms would be enough to threaten hurricanes at North Carolina’s Outer Banks, scientists report.
Hurricane scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration report that an average of only four storms will develop each hurricane season in the Atlantic. That’s down from the five storms that formed last year. That’s the lowest number since 1992.
The report is based on a survey of about 350 to 400 hurricane hunters, including many who have landed on the northern coasts of the United States and Canada.
The results might seem overwhelming, but one answer might be worth reading anyway.
Much of the statistics, including the number of storms, were put together by NOAA with help from the National Hurricane Center and the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, according to their report, which was released Thursday. The findings should be interpreted in context, the report authors suggest, but they can be used to compare annual hurricane activity from one year to the next.
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— Washington Post