2013 Hurricane Season Outlook Calls for 1 to 3 Cyclones

Central Pacific Hurricane Center, Satellite imagery, file image 5/18/2011, courtesy National Weather Service.

By Wendy Osher

NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center released its outlook today for tropical cyclone activity, saying it will be a below-normal season this year.

The 2013 Central Pacific Hurricane Season outlook reportedly calls for a 70% chance of a below-normal season, with 1 to 3 tropical cyclones to affect the central Pacific this season.

Agency officials say that during an average season, there are an estimated 4 to 5 tropical cyclones that include tropical depressions, tropical storms, and hurricanes.  Authorities say the outlook was based on “the continuation of neutral El Niño–Southern Oscillation conditions.”

The hurricane season starts on June 1 and runs through Nov. 30.

While the outlook is below normal for the upcoming season, authorities with the Central Pacific Hurricane Center say the outlook does not predict whether, where, when, or how many of these systems will affect Hawaiʻi.

“I encourage the public to become weather-ready by signing up for weather alerts, developing a family emergency plan, and building an emergency kit before hurricane season begins,” said Ray Tanabe, director of NOAA’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center in an agency issued press release.

“Just because the season is predicted to be “below normal” does not mean that a single storm cannot have significant impacts,” said Tanabe.