Hurricane season 2018: NOAA predicts near or above-average season in the Atlantic

Hurricane Nate was one of four hurricanes to make landfall in the U.S. in 2017. Will 2018 be another active year? (NOAA image)

It could be another active year for hurricanes in the Atlantic.

So says NOAA, which released its 2018 Atlantic hurricane season outlook on Thursday.

A group of forecasters that includes the Climate Prediction Center said there is a 75 percent chance that this hurricane season, which begins June 1, will be near or above-average as far as the number of storms.

Here are the predictions:

(NOAA)

There is only a 25 percent chance of a below-average season, forecasters said.

An average year, according to NOAA, has 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.

The 2017 season was extremely active and destructive, with 17 named storms, 10 hurricanes and six major hurricanes, which are Category 3 or stronger storms.

The U.S. was struck three times by major hurricanes -- Harvey, Irma and Maria -- and four hurricanes made landfall in all, including Nate, which made landfall in Mississippi.

According to NOAA nearly 80 million people in the U.S. live in areas vulnerable to tropical storms or hurricanes -- but only a fraction of those live along the coasts.

NOAA also released outlooks for the eastern and central Pacific regions on Thursday.

Forecasters anticipate near or above-average seasons in both of those areas as well.

NOAA plans to update its outlook in early August, just before the typical peak of the season.

Hurricane season will end on Nov. 30.

(NOAA)

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