2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season Begins
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MIAMI (CBSMiami) - Here we ago again South Florida. It's June 1st, the official start of the 2016 Atlantic Hurricane Season.
This year the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration has forecast that we will have a "near average" season. They predict we will likely see 10 to 16 named storms (winds of 39 mph or higher) which is a pretty wide range.
Of the named storms, they think 4 to 8 could become hurricanes and between 1 and 4 will develop into major hurricanes - Category 3, 4 or 5 with winds of 111 mph and up.
NOAA said there is a 45-percent chance that we will have a near-normal season, there is also a 30 percent chance of an above-normal season and a 25 percent chance of a below-normal season. Included in their forecast is Hurricane Alex, a pre-season storm that formed over the far eastern Atlantic in January.
Hurricane researchers at Colorado State University have predicted that we will see 13 named storms (which includes Hurricane Alex), six of which will become hurricanes and two will become major hurricanes.
We are already two storms down, since Bonnie fizzled over the Carolinas.
An average season consists of 12 named storms, six of which become hurricanes and three become major hurricanes.
Download The CBS4 Hurricane Guide (English)
Download The CBS4 Hurricane Guide (Spanish)
The 2015 season was slightly below average with 11 named storms, including two tropical storms that made landfall and caused flooding in South Carolina and Texas. Hurricane Joaquin, one of two storms to reach major hurricane strength, killed all 33 mariners aboard a cargo ship that sank off the Bahamas in October.
The last major hurricane to strike the U.S. mainland was Hurricane Wilma, which cut across Florida in 2005.
On Tuesday, President Barack Obama warn Americans not to be complacent about the hurricane season.
President Obama said people should have evacuation plans and readiness kits handy, and should follow all official evacuation orders.
The CBS4 News team has put together a special program to help you get ready for the hurricane season. Watch "Hurricane 2016: Survive the Season" this Saturday at 7 p.m. on CBS4. If you miss it, you can catch it again Sunday morning at 10:30 a.m. on our sister station My TV33.
- Click here for ways to prepare yourself for an impending storm from the CBSMiami.com Hurricane Preps page
- Click here for the latest news surrounding hurricanes and the National Hurricane Center
- Click here to see all of the latest maps when a storm forms in the Atlantic
- Click here for Live Weather Blog
- Download CBS4 Weather App Here
The hurricane season runs through November 30.
