2012 Florida Weather Highlights

Weather forecasters are saying that we can expect more active hurricane seasons for at least the next ten years so there is no reason to suggest that the next few years will be significantly quieter than the last couple of years.

Hurricane predictions for 2012

The team led by Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray from the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University have made their first predictions for the 2012 hurricane season. In April 2012, they forecast a slightly below average 2012 season with up to 10 named storms, 4 of them hurricanes of which 2 will become major hurricanes (Category 3 or greater with sustained winds of 111 mph or more).

They are predicting that there is a 42% chance that at least one major hurricane will make landfall on the United States coastline during 2011 (average is 52%) with a 24% chance (average is 31%) for the eastern Florida peninsula and a 24% chance (average is 30%) for the Gulf Coast.

They usually issue further revised forecasts in June and August.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) usually put out their first predictions in May of each year with a revised forecast in August.

Both the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University team have over estimated named storms and hurricanes in recent years.

Storm names for 2012

The names for tropical storms and hurricanes in 2012 are as follows: Alberto, Beryl, Chris, Debby, Ernesto, Florence, Gordon, Helene, Isaac, Joyce, Kirk, Leslie, Michael, Nadine, Oscar, Patty, Rafael, Sandy, Tony, Valerie and William..

Tropical Storm Alberto

Sunday, May 20: Tropical Storm Sean has formed off the Georgia coastline with wind speeds of 45 mph. It quickly strengthened to 60 mph before weakening again. It is expected to turn towards the north east and track up the American seaboard.

Previous Predictions

Last year in 2011 NOAA predicted an above average year with 12 to 18 storms.

In 2010 NOAA originally predicted anything between 14 and 23 named storms with 8 to 14 hurricanes or which 3 to 7 could be major hurricanes. In the end there were 19 named storms of which 11 became hurricanes and 5 became major hurricanes.

In 2009 NOAA originally predicted that there would be between 9 and 14 named storms, with six to nine becoming hurricanes, of which two to five could become major hurricanes.

In August they upgraded their forecast to the number of tropical storms being between 14 to 18 named storms and four to seven hurricanes and up to three major hurricanes. They subsequently downgraded this to 7 to 11 named storms, three to six hurricanes and one to two major hurricanes.

In the end, there were nine named storms of which three became hurricanes and one became major hurricanes.

In 2008, they had predicted up to between 12 and 16 named storms and in the end there were 16 named storms of which eight became hurricanes.