FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Researchers at Colorado State University have changed their forecast for the 2017 hurricane season and project more storms will make landfall.
As of July 5, the university predicts 15 named storms this year, up from the 11 the school predicted in April, with eight of those becoming hurricanes. In April, the school predicted four hurricanes.
The hurricane forecast now calls for three major hurricanes, one more than the two predicted in April.
“The odds of a significant El Niño in 2017 have continued to diminish, and most of the tropical and subtropical Atlantic remains anomalously warm,” researchers said in response to the new forecast. “As is the case with all hurricane seasons, coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them. They should prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted.”
So far this year, there have been three tropical systems observed, including the recent Tropical Storm Cindy that threatened the Louisiana and Mississippi Gulf Coasts but brought little more than heavy rainfall.
