Extreme Weather Alert: NOAA Predicting Record Hurricane Season

Looks like summer 2024 will be another wild season for extreme weather.

New York has seen is fair share of bizarre weather events so far this year, and it looks like the trend isn't stopping anytime soon.

Earlier this winter, Upstate New York was placed under an elevated fire risk after multiple wildfires erupted during the month of February. A tornado also ripped through Broome County that same month.

Read More: Extremely Rare February Tornado Touches down in New York

Heading into the spring, the area received numerous reports that allergy season will be horrific, and that Upstate New York will endure the worst flea and tick season to date all because of the warmer-than-average winter.

Local veterinarian Clinton Pet Vet also alerted pet owners that animals will also face an elevated heartworm risk this summer.

And if the bad news train didn't stop rumbling through the headlines, the area just watched all hope of enjoying a decent summer get flushed down the drain.

Read More: New York in Store for Extremely Soggy, Unbearably Hot Summer

Enter the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, who just said this year's hurricane season will be above-normal.

The NOAA National Weather Service anticipates that hurricane season has an 85% chance of being above-average, a 10% chance of a normal season, and a 5% chance of a below-normal season.

What is a normal hurricane season? The Climate Prediction Center says an "average" season produces 14 named storms and seven of them become hurricanes. Of that group, three will go on to become major hurricanes.

This year, it's expected between 17 to 25 name storms will form in the Atlantic basin, with up to 13 of them becoming hurricanes with winds up to roughly 75 mph. Of that baker's dozen, up to 7 can develop into a Category 3 hurricane or more.

Category 3 hurricanes are capable of producing sustained winds up to 129 miles per hour.

This is the most aggressive forecast from the NOAA and it shatters the record of most predicted hurricanes from 2010, when forecasters anticipated 14 to 23 storms.

The reason why meteorologists are so concerned about this year is because the area is coming out of one of the strongest El Niños in history, a weather pattern that produces warmer-than-average temperatures and wetter-than-average conditions.  It also warms ocean waters, which are already approaching record hot temperatures.

Warm ocean waters work like super-fuel for hurricanes, which helps them grow more powerful and violent.

Last year, ocean waters warmed so much, the NOAA made an ultra rare update to its 2023 hurricane prediction that the nation would see a greater number of powerful storms. Their prediction of seeing 2 to 5 major hurricanes develop was accurate.

It is possible the same may happen this year, further cementing 2024's chance of becoming a record-setting hurricane year.

Hurricane season runs between now and November 30.

Hurricanes Hijacking Home Insurance Rates

Because of the stronger-than-average hurricane seasons, insurance rates have gone up dramatically - especially in hurricane prone regions that are facing an insurance crisis. This, of course, is raising concerns that this trend could inevitably upend the home insurance industry.

For those struggling with rising rates, there are things you can do to save yourself some cash. Top things to do include reinforcing your roof, as well as upgrading your windows and doors to storm-grade. By "hurricane proofing" your home, you can possibly lower your overall insurance rate. 

That said, the wild weather ride isn't coming to an end just yet. Hopefully we'll catch a break next winter.

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