GERMANTOWN, Md.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Earth Networks today released its 2020 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook which forecasts an above normal hurricane season. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30 and covers the Atlantic, Caribbean Sea, and the Gulf of Mexico.
The 2019 season resulted in 18 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes, with two storms, Dorian and Lorenzo reaching Category 5. Dorian was the most intense storm of last year causing $3.4 billion in damage in the Bahamas.
For the 2020 Hurricane Outlook the Earth Networks Meteorology Team debuted a new statistical model based on analyzing 40 years of data from 1980 to 2019. By combining analog data with the new statistical model, the Earth Networks forecast predicts 16 named storms to form, with nine becoming hurricanes and four of those hurricanes becoming major hurricanes with sustained winds of at least 111 mph. This is significantly above the long-term Atlantic season average.
“With neutral El Niño-Southern Oscillation (ENSO) conditions continuing and a positive Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation (AMO) anticipated, we are expecting higher than normal seasonal Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) and an above normal hurricane season for 2020,” said Anthony Sagliani, Earth Networks Meteorologist. “Ocean temperatures are above average in the Gulf of Mexico and well above average in most areas of the Atlantic, which is a further indicator of an active hurricane season.”
There is a possibility for a weak La Niña to form, which would provide even more favorable conditions for tropical storm development.
Watch the 2020 Atlantic Season Hurricane Outlook or Contact Earth Networks for more information. Please also register for the upcoming Earth Networks 2020 Summer Outlook which will be presented in a live webinar on May 21, 2020 at 2 p.m. ET.
About Earth Networks
Earth Networks, part of the Advanced Environmental Monitoring family of companies, helps organizations mitigate financial, operational and human risk by providing environmental intelligence from the world’s largest hyperlocal weather network. Schools, airports, sports teams, utilities and government agencies rely on our early warning solutions to safeguard lives, prepare for weather events and optimize operations. Companies across all industries use our weather data to automate decisions regarding risk management, business continuity, and asset protection.
