Weather experts have predicted an intense 2024 Atlantic Hurricane season, with more named storms.
Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) has predicted the formation of 20 tropical storms, 9 of which are likely to escalate into hurricanes and 4 into intense or major hurricanes, potentially posing a significant threat.
Forecast firm Weather Bell, on the other hand, has opted for between 25 and 30 named storms, declaring that 2024 could be the “hurricane season from hell.”
In contrast, the Atlantic basin saw 20 named storms in 2023, ranking fourth for the most-named storms in a year since 1950.
Seven storms became hurricanes last year, and three intensified into major hurricanes.
Among last year’s weather systems, Tropical Storm Bret caused significant damage to Saint Lucia’s agriculture sector.
The Saint Lucia Meteorological Services Director, Andre Joyeux, explained that more effective hurricane predictions would come closer to the start of this year’s Atlantic Hurricane Season.
The season officially runs from June 1 to November 30 annually.
“But for now, we are monitoring a situation in which the El Nino is expected to change over into La Nina later this year and that could have some adverse effects on the hurricane season,” Joyeux told St. Lucia Times.
“We could have more named storms because the Atlantic Ocean is warmer than normal and expected to remain so. As you know, hurricanes feed off that warmth from the Oceans to make them more intense. So, this is an area of concern for this hurricane season,” the Meteorological Services Director stated.
Joyeux recalled that the Caribbean Climate Outlook Forum had predicted more rain in the latter part of the dry season.
As a result, he expected more rain just before the hurricane season starts.
