Forecasters are predicting a "very active" 2024 Atlantic hurricane season, with 23 named storms and 11 hurricanes expected.
Of those 11 hurricanes, five are expected to be major, according to the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorology Project's predictions released on Thursday.
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Dr. Philip Klotzbach, the hurricane specialist at CSU, attributed the prediction in part to "extremely warm" tropical Atlantic waters.
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A likely La Nina pattern was also a factor in the prediction, Klotzbach said.
The hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30.
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An average hurricane season generally produces 14 named storms and seven hurricanes.
Klotzbach said seasons with a similar forecast include 2020, a record-breaking year for activity that saw 30 named storms and 13 hurricanes.
The 2023 hurricane season saw 21 storms and seven hurricanes.
The U.S.’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration is expected to release their forecast in May.
