Experts increase number of storms expected in 2023 Atlantic hurricane season

Hurricane experts at Colorado State University have increased their numbers on tropical cyclone activity in the Atlantic Basin this hurricane season, which began Thursday.

The updated CSU Atlantic hurricane season outlook released Thursday calls for 15 named storms, an increase of two from its initial outlook released in April.

Seven of these storms, also up from six, could become hurricanes with at least 74-mph winds. Three of the hurricanes, up from two, could be major (Category 3 or higher) with winds of at least 111 mph.

"We have increased our forecast and now call for a near-average Atlantic Basin hurricane season in 2023," the university said. "While we anticipate a robust El Niño for the peak of the Atlantic hurricane season, the tropical and subtropical Atlantic have continued to anomalously warm to near-record levels." 

Hurricane experts at CSU said the probability of a U.S. major hurricane landfall is estimated to be near the long-period average of a 43% chance.

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NOAA's Climate Prediction Center released its Atlantic hurricane season outlook late last month, and it's similar to the CSU outlook.

The government agency expects 12 to 17 named storms, five to nine hurricanes and one to four major hurricanes. Forecasters said they have 70% confidence in these ranges.

Both the CSU and NOAA outlooks include the subtropical storm that already formed off the East Coast in January.

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FOX Weather's Hurricane Specialist Bryan Norcross warned back in April that those within hurricane zones should always be prepared no matter what's forecast. 

"Seasonal forecasts issued in April are iffy because the future state of El Niño is always uncertain. It slowly becomes clearer closer to summer," he said. "And this year, the forecast is even less certain than normal because a strong, hurricane-limiting El Niño is just one of a range of possibilities, which include a fairly busy season," Norcross said. "The bottom line is, the forecasts are interesting but have nothing to do with how people in the hurricane zone should prepare for the season."

The Atlantic hurricane season ends on Nov. 30.

What are the storm names for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season?

There are 21 names on the list of Atlantic storm names in 2023, using almost every letter of the alphabet.

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The Atlantic hurricane season storm names in 2023 are: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince and Whitney.

If we have an active season and run through the entire list of names, a supplemental name list will be used.