Colorado State Univ. now calling for ‘very active’ hurricane season

MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - Researchers at Colorado State University have increased the numbers in their outlook for this year’s hurricane season. They are now calling for a “very active” season.

Their outlook projects 20 named storms, 10 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes (category 3+).

Colorado State University is calling for a very active season.(WSFA 12 News)

If that happens, it will be the 7th consecutive year with an above normal hurricane season. It would also result in nearly every name on the list being used. There are 21 names on the list each year, so if we see 20 named storms the only name left would be Walter.

These numbers wouldn’t challenge the record-breaking year we had in 2020, but it would be one of the most active years we’ve ever seen.

But it’s not just the number of storms that suggests the season will be well above average.

CSU uses other parameters to put into perspective just how busy a particular hurricane season will be.

That includes the number of days that a named storm, hurricane and/or major hurricane will be present somewhere in the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea or Gulf of Mexico.

CSU is forecasting a whopping 95 days with at least one named storm somewhere in the Atlantic Basin. That’s nearly 30 days more than the average of 69 days. The forecast calls for 40 days with a hurricane present and 11 days with a major hurricane present.