Logistics service providers and the companies they serve may be feeling a sense of relief now that the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has forecast that North America will see a “near-normal” Atlantic hurricane season, which stretches from June 1 to November 30. Predictions from the nation’s weather gurus anticipate 12 to 17 named storms this year. Five to nine of them are expected to be hurricanes, with one to four of those becoming “major” hurricanes in categories 3, 4, or 5.
NOAA says it has 70% confidence in that forecast, which is limited by the power of its supercomputers and the quality of the data fed into its weather models. But the agency can say one thing with certainty: what the names of those storms would be.
Every year, the United Nations’ World Meteorological Organization generates a new list of tropical cyclone names, to bring clarity to communications about these dangerous weather events. The Atlantic list for 2023 includes 21 names. So get ready for: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Don, Emily, Franklin, Gert, Harold, Idalia, Jose, Katia, Lee, Margot, Nigel, Ophelia, Philippe, Rina, Sean, Tammy, Vince, and Whitney.
