The Atlantic hurricane season officially begins in five days’ time and will be less active than normal, with the formation of between six and 11 tropical storms, of which between three and six will turn into hurricanes, according to the forecast by US government agencies released yesterday, Wednesday 27 May 2015.
During a press conference, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its forecasts for the cyclone season in the Atlantic basin, which begins on 1 June and will last for six months, affecting the United States, the Caribbean and Mexico.
Scientist Kathryn Sullivan, the NOAA administrator, nevertheless warned: “As we have seen in previous years, seasons with the least cyclone activity can produce catastrophic impact on our communities”. She was referring to the devastation caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.
Scientists attribute the reduced hurricane activity forecast for this year to the presence of the “El Nino” phenomenon in the Pacific that inhibits the formation of cyclones in the Atlantic basin, which in turn affects the winds and the atmospheric pressure patterns.