National forecasters expect the 2018 hurricane season to be “near- or-above-normal.”

Forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predict a 70 percent likelihood of 10 to 16 named storms with winds of 39 miles per hour or higher.

NOAA forecasts of those 10-16 storms -- which are tropical storm strength with 39 mph winds or greater -- five to nine could become hurricanes, with winds of 74 mph or greater.

And of those, one to four could be major hurricanes. Those are ranked on a scale from Category 3-5, with winds of at least 111 mph.

It is important to note, however, the number of storms does not mean each one will make landfall and only one storm can cause significant damage.

An “average” hurricane season produces 12 named storms with 6 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes.

NOAA forecasters cite a weak El Nino and average sea surface temperatures across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and the Caribbean Sea for the outlook.

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