Expect double the number of hellish hurricanes this year

In addition to multiple plagues, murder hornets, and locusts, this year will also bring us a doubly active hurricane season, says the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). Today the agency released a warning of an “extremely active” hurricane season, with double the usual number of named storms through November.

In a typical year, NOAA names a dozen storms, each with winds over 39 mph. This year, it expects to name 19-25 storms.

This year’s severe storms have already ranked far heavier ahead of the norm: Typically, only two storms are named by early August. NOAA has named nine this year: Arthur, Bortha, Cristobal, Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gonzalo, Hanna, Isaias. NOAA says that Americans need to be prepared for storms now, including disaster kits. (Here is how to prepare.)

One cause is warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea, which is combining with other weather forces to spur an active hurricane season. La Niña, a Pacific Ocean weather pattern that typically appears every few years, is also expected to develop this year, which will further fuel Atlantic basin storm formation.

Stay tuned for storms Josephine, Kyle, Laura, Marco, Nana, Omar, Paulette, Rene, Sally, Teddy, Vicky, and Wilfred.