b'NEWSWIRENEWSWIRE NOAA Predicts Near-normal Atlantic Hurricane SeasonT heNationalOceanicandforecast for this years Atlantic hurri- mate Prediction Center, a division of AtmosphericAdministrationcane season, which goes from June 1the National Weather Service, predict (NOAA) recently released itsto Nov. 30. Forecasters with the Cli- near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlanticthisyearwitha40percent chance of a near-normal season, a 30 percentchanceofanabove-normal season, and a 30 percent chance of a below-normal season.NOAAisforecastingarangeof12 to 17 total named storms which are defined as having winds of 39 mph or higher. They expect that 5 to 9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or higher), including 1 to 4 major hur-ricanes (category 3, 4 or 5; with winds of 111 mph or higher). They have 70 percent confidence in these ranges.This year, NOAA will extend tropical cyclone outlook graphics from five to seven days to provide emergency man-agersandcommunitieswithmore time to prepare for storms. NOAA will implement a series of up-grades and improvements this summer attention to detail as well. They will expand the capacity of its operational supercomputing sys-tem by 20 percent, enabling NOAA toimproveandrunmorecomplex forecast models, including significant model upgrades this hurricane season.Theoutlookisforoverallseasonal activity and is not a landfall forecast. NOAAsClimatePredictionCenter will update the 2023 Atlantic seasonal outlook in early August, just prior to the historical peak of the season.www.beurteaux.comFOGHORN 36'