The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued an update to the 2013 Atlantic hurricane season forecast on Thursday, August 8, 2013. The forecast continues to call for an above-normal season in the Atlantic Basin, but the update has decreased odds of an extremely active season. The updated outlook has a 70% chance of an above-normal season.
- 13 to 19 named storms (top winds of 39 mph or higher), including
- 6 to 9 hurricanes (top winds of 74 mph or higher), of which
- 3 to 5 could be major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5; winds of at least 111 mph)
The pre-season outlook called for 13-20 named storms, 7-11 hurricanes, and 3-6 major hurricanes. The NOAA outlook does not offer any probability of hurricanes making landfall in the Caribbean or United States. A recent update from Colorado State University researchers calls for a 64% chance of a major hurricane striking the United States. The last major hurricane to strike the United States was Wilma on October 23, 2005 – nearly 8 years ago. This current stretch is the longest duration between major hurricane landfalls in the United States since record keeping began in 1851.