NOAA Announces Outlook for 2018 Tropical Season

news image
Special Stories
24 May 2018 9:36 AM
After an incredibly active and damaging 2017 tropical season, the outlook is in for this year from NOAA. NOAA issued their seasonal forecast Thursday morning from Lakeland, Florida, calling for an average season. NOAA anticipates 10-16 named systems will form this season, with 5-9 of those becoming hurricanes, and of those, 3 becoming major hurricanes. https://twitter.com/NOAA/status/999673689405886464 NOAA stresses that these forecasts do not account for the strength of systems, nor the impacts they may pose to land. The possibility of a weak El Niño developing, along with near-average sea-surface temperatures across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea, are two of the factors driving this outlook. NOAA also released their Pacific season outlook Wednesday, you can read more here. WeatherNation  spoke with the lead seasonal forecaster, Dr. Gerry Bell, Thursday afternoon to discuss the outlook. https://youtu.be/I2F-ZvdylCg Right on cue, as hurricane season officially begins next week, June 1, we are already monitoring a tropical disturbance in the Gulf Of Mexico. Click here to learn more.   Also, join us for Hurricane Prep Week all next week on WeatherNation.
All Weather News
More
Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe Storms and Flooding Return to the Plains & Midwest

Severe weather has returned to parts of the P

14 Oct 2026 2:10 PM
Tropics: Pacific Stays Hyperactive, Atlantic Quiets Down

Tropics: Pacific Stays Hyperactive, Atlantic Quiets Down

Isaias ended the late-season streak of no hur

14 Oct 2026 2:05 PM
Cooler Air & Snow Invades The Rockies

Cooler Air & Snow Invades The Rockies

A digging trough is bringing cooler temperatu

14 Oct 2026 1:50 PM
Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week, Cooler Air Incoming

Hot Weather Baking the Heartland This Week, Cooler Air Incoming

More records were broken across the Midwest a

14 Oct 2026 11:00 AM
System Late Week Roars into the Northeast

System Late Week Roars into the Northeast

It's getting to be that time of year! Systems

14 Oct 2026 10:55 AM
Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel Spreading Moisture Across the Southwest

Rachel came ashore in far northwestern Mexico

13 Oct 2026 12:10 AM
Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Isaias Makes Landfall as A Category 2, Recapping it's Impacts

Hurricane Isaias made landfall near Destin, F

12 Oct 2026 11:00 PM