Officials Predict Another Active Hurricane Season [AUDIO]

The Atlantic hurricane season begins again June 1st, and ,unfortunately, for Sandy-weary New Jerseyans, the predictions are not good.

Kathryn Sullivan, the Acting Administrator for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, says wind and air pressure patterns and a warmer Atlantic Ocean have combined to create an active prediction for the coming season.

“NOAA predicts an above-normal and possibly an extremely active hurricane season, with a range of 13 to 20 named storms.”

In making the predictions, NOAA and FEMA officials once again urged citizens in areas impacted by Atlantic hurricanes to be prepared and ready. Sandy caused an estimated $50 billion in damage last October and killed 72 people in the United States.

Many residents of New Jersey and New York continue to recover from the effects of Sandy. Much of the damage was from the catastrophic storm surge into the New Jersey and New York coastlines.

The forecast was issued from the new NOAA Center for Weather and Climate Prediction in College Park, Md., instead of the National Hurricane Center in Miami.

NOAA wanted to highlight its new building; also the forecasters who produce the annual hurricane predictions work from it.

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