As activity in the Pacific Ocean ramps up, the Atlantic hurricane season is nearing its peak. Nonetheless, the current situation remains calm.

According to National Hurricane Center specialist Jack Beven, “No tropical cyclones are expected to form in the upcoming week,” as stated in Thursday’s forecast.

Despite the lack of storms now, meteorologists predict a vigorous season ahead. The Colorado State University Hurricane Forecast team noted, “Environmental conditions are likely to become more favorable for tropical cyclone development by late August.”

Moreover, computer models indicate “multiple potential areas for tropical cyclone development” towards the end of August and into early September, the CSU forecast mentioned.

AccuWeather’s Thursday forecast was even more detailed: “AccuWeather lead hurricane expert Alex DaSilva and his team predict 6 to 10 named storms between Aug. 27 and Sept. 30.”

Federal predictions suggest an “extraordinary” hurricane season, with as many as 24 named storms possible, including the five that have already occurred.

On average, a hurricane season typically has 10 named storms.

This year could potentially “rank among the busiest on record,” according to NOAA, which slightly reduced the total number of predicted storms but raised the likelihood of an above-normal season to 90%.

Will La Niña Influence Storm Activity?

NOAA’s Matthew Rosencrans stated, “We are observing all the signs of an active season. Sea-surface temperatures are significantly elevated, and La Niña is anticipated to develop during the hurricane season; now is the time to prepare.”

According to AccuWeather, water temperatures across much of the Atlantic, Caribbean, and Gulf of Mexico are near or at record highs. Tropical storms and hurricanes thrive on ocean waters that are at least 80 degrees.

Additionally, the La Niña climate pattern, which typically increases the frequency of Atlantic hurricanes, is still expected to occur later in the hurricane season, as reported by the Climate Prediction Center.

Current Storm Count

As of now in 2024, five named storms have formed in the Atlantic basin, which encompasses storms in the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea. This figure is higher than the average of four for this time of year.

So far, the U.S. has experienced direct impacts from two storms: Hurricanes Beryl and Debby.