Atlantic Hurricane Outlook: 2018 Forecast Significantly Lower

According to The Weather Company's second seasonal tropical forecast for the North Atlantic basin for the 2018 season, a total of 12 named storms, 5 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes are expected. These forecasted numbers are lower than those issued a month ago of 13/6/2 and significantly lower than last year's 17/10/6. The forecast is also lower than the 1950–2017 average of 12/7/3 and recent "active period" (1995–2017) average of 15/8/4.

According to Dr. Todd Crawford, chief meteorologist at The Weather Company, "The large-scale picture for the upcoming Atlantic tropical season is now even less supportive of an active season than it was a month ago. North Atlantic waters have continued to cool, relative to normal, due a stronger-than-normal sub-tropical high pressure area. Further, our best statistical and dynamical models are also less aggressive with predicted activity. Finally, the expected pattern over the North Atlantic over the next few weeks will continue to be supportive of cooling tropical Atlantic waters, relative to normal. The body of evidence has led us to reduce our numbers from 13/6/2 to 12/5/2."