Extreme weather warning

This item appears on page 19 of the July 2017 issue.

The US Department of State alerts travelers that the hurricane and typhoon seasons in the Atlantic and Pacific oceans, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico will last through November 2017. The National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) anticipates above-normal seasons in each area.

In the Atlantic Basin, including the Gulf of Mexico and the Caribbean Sea, hurricane season in the Atlantic began on June 1. NOAA predicts a 70% chance of 11 to 17 named storms, of which five to nine are predicted to strengthen to a hurricane (winds of 74 mph or higher) and two to four are expected to become major hurricanes (with winds of 111 mph or higher). 

In the Eastern Pacific, hurricane season began on May 15. NOAA predicts a 70% chance of 14 to 20 named storms, of which six to 11 are expected to become hurricane strength, with three to seven becoming major hurricanes.   

In the Western and Central Pacific, typhoon season runs June 1-Nov. 30. NOAA expects five to eight tropical cyclones in the Central Pacific.