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
No Hurricanes Yet in the Atlantic, A New Record

No Hurricanes Yet in the Atlantic, A New Record

For the first time in the satellite era (sinc

16 Sep 2026 5:00 PM
Summer Heat Holds it's Grip on the South

Summer Heat Holds it's Grip on the South

No surprise here: More records were broken ac

16 Sep 2026 4:30 PM
Significant Moisture Increases Flooding Threat for the Southwest This Week

Significant Moisture Increases Flooding Threat for the Southwest This Week

An area of low pressure in the Gulf of Califo

16 Sep 2026 4:15 PM
Tropics: LOW Chance of Development in Atlantic

Tropics: LOW Chance of Development in Atlantic

The Pacific Ocean has been incredibly active

16 Sep 2026 1:30 PM
Rounds of Storms Increase the Flood Threat in the Midwest

Rounds of Storms Increase the Flood Threat in the Midwest

It's no secret that the Midwest has been the

16 Sep 2026 1:30 PM
Active Pattern Takes Shape Across the Plains

Active Pattern Takes Shape Across the Plains

Monday proved to be an active severe weather

15 Sep 2026 10:00 AM
Storms Winding Down Across Northeast

Storms Winding Down Across Northeast

WHAT TO EXPECT Record rainfall has fallen acr

14 Sep 2026 1:10 AM