News Climate

Why the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is especially hard to predict

Forecasts hinge on what will happen with El Niño and Atlantic sea surface temperatures

A satellite image of Hurricane Ian with its eye just west of Florida

Hurricane Ian (shown, with its eye just west of Florida) roared ashore on September 28, 2022. Last year, there were 14 named storms in the Atlantic. What 2023's season will bring is still highly uncertain.

NOAA

By Carolyn Gramling

It’s hard to know how busy this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be, thanks to a rarely observed combination of ocean and climate conditions.