This Atlantic hurricane season may be quieter than expected, and no one’s complaining

At the end of May, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released its 2018 hurricane forecast, predicting a likely active or above active season in the Atlantic Ocean — though certainly not on par with 2017’s exceptionally stormy season.

But almost a month later, conditions in the Atlantic are showing signs that the 2018 season might be quieter than forecasters initially thought. 

Specifically, surface water temperatures in the tropical Atlantic are unusually cold. When these waters are cooler, it tends to damper the formation of powerful storms, Phil Klotzbach, a research scientist in the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University, said in an interview. Read more…

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