Colorado State University updates 2022 Atlantic hurricane season outlook, still "well above average"
FORT COLLINS - Forecasters with Colorado State University have released an update to their outlook for the 2022 Atlantic hurricane season and still expect it to be well above average.
The July update is the same as its previous forecast on June 2nd. They predict 20 named storms, including 10 hurricanes of which five would be major - Category 3 or stronger with winds of at least 111 mph.
The new outlook accounts for the three named storms that have already formed, which means 17 additional tropical cyclones could develop.
An average hurricane season has 14 named storms, seven hurricanes, and three major hurricanes.
The above-average season was partially attributed to La Niña, which is forecast to continue through the remainder of the Atlantic hurricane season.
Things are quiet in the tropics now and cyclone development is not expected over the next 5 days due to Saharan Dust.
In May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration forecast an above-average hurricane season. It predicted 14-21 named storms, of which 6-10 will become hurricanes and 3-6 will strengthen into major hurricanes.
It was the seventh consecutive year they've forecast an above-average hurricane season.
When the busy 2021 Atlantic hurricane season came to an end, there had 21 named tropical storms and hurricanes, which was the third-most for any hurricane season, behind only 2020's record 30 storms and the 28 storms that formed in 2005.
The season included seven hurricanes with four of those becoming major hurricanes reaching Category 3 strength.
Of the 21 named storms, only two impacted South Florida. Elsa and Fred, both tropical storms while near South Florida, were mostly rainmakers and gave the area brief tropical-storm-force winds.
