Morning Briefing
Summaries of health policy coverage from major news organizations
Busy Hurricane Season Looms, As Over-Stretched FEMA Tries To Brace For Dual Crises
Scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration warned on Thursday they expect a busy hurricane season this year, potentially sending a higher-than-normal number of storms across the Atlantic and straining U.S. emergency services that are already stretched thin because of the coronavirus pandemic. NOAA forecast the 2020 Atlantic hurricane season that runs from June through November will include 13 to 19 named storms, with six to 10 possible hurricanes. Three to six of those could become "major" hurricanes of Category 3 or higher, with top winds of at least 111 mph and the potential to trigger major disasters. (Tamborrino and Colman, 5/21)
Overall, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said 13 to 19 named storms will develop. This number includes tropical storms, which contain wind speeds of 39 mph or higher. Storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 mph. Of the predicted six to 10 hurricanes, three to six could be major, packing wind speeds of 111 mph or higher. (Rice, 5/21)
"Nearly all seasonal projections that have been issued by various agencies, institutions and private forecasting companies call for this season to be quite busy," CNN meteorologist Taylor Ward says. Almost all of the projections call for an above average number of hurricanes -- more than six -- for this season, which begins June 1. Some are even calling for an "extremely active" season of more than nine hurricanes. (Chinchar and Jones, 5/21)
