Weather

A New Model Is Predicting β€œOne of the Most Active Atlantic Hurricane Seasons on Record”

A New Model Is Predicting β€œOne of the Most Active Atlantic Hurricane Seasons on Record”

While you probably stopped checking the daily forecast around the time you gave up on putting real pants on (so, weeks ago), here’s a reminder that weather is still in fact a thing that exists outside the walls of your quarantine zone: Several major forecasting centers are now predicting that this year’s hurricane season, which stretches from June 1 to November 30, will be more active than usual.

The latest predictions come from Pennsylvania State University’s Earth System Science Center. Scientists there are calling for 20 named storms in the Atlantic this year (the 30-year average is 12). A tropical storm typically earns a name from the National Hurricane Center  when its wind speeds reach 39 miles per hour. If 20 named storms do occur this year, 2020 would become the second most active season on record in terms of the number of storms.