Pacific Hurricane Season Depends on El Niño: NOAA
Forecasters say the central Pacific region around Hawaii can expect a normal or slightly above-average hurricane season, depending largely on the presence of El Niño conditions.
Chris Brenchley, director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center, said at a news conference Wednesday that the region can expect anywhere from five to eight tropical cyclones from June through November.
Brenchley said there is an equal chance of El Niño and neutral conditions in the Pacific this season. El Niño is a natural warming of the Pacific that alters weather worldwide.