(Source: NOAA)

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria & Nate were so destructive their names are getting retired

Hurricanes Harvey, Irma, Maria & Nate were so destructive their names are getting retired

Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30, with a spike in activity in early to mid-September

Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30, with a spike in activity in early to mid-September

Hurricane season begins June 1 and ends November 30, with a spike in activity in early to mid-September. SUPPORTING CAST

 Various commercial and academic weather groups have forecasted this year’s Atlantic season to be at least average with a strong lean toward above-average. They were among 17 storms large enough to merit their own names which tore through the Atlantic basin, including 10 hurricanes. Fewer storms are expected this year partly because of "the possibility of a weak El Nino developing," which could reduce the number of storms later in the season, NOAA said. Hurricane Harvey pummeled Houston in August, followed by Hurricane Irma in the Caribbean and Florida in September — both of which left behind severe flooding that destroyed and damaged homes and businesses. Last year featured the most active Atlantic hurricane season since 2005, and some forecasters believe 2018 could end up the third straight above-average season. (Source: NHC)

(RNN) - The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will release their predictions for the 2018 Hurricane season Thursday as they eye the northern Gulf Coast, which could experience its first tropical system of the season in the next five days, the National Hurricane Center said. The 2017 hurricane season saw 12 named storms devastate several areas throughout the U.S. More than 100 people died in the storms last year, making it the 17th deadliest hurricane season since 1990.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration of the United States predicts a near- or above-average hurricane season for 2018.