Hurricane researchers at Colorado State University released their initial forecast for the 2021 Atlantic hurricane season on Thursday.
The expected lack of El Niño, the warming of waters in the central and eastern tropical Atlantic, at the peak of the season was given as a primary factor driving the forecast, along with warmer waters in the tropical and subtropical Atlantic.
The CSU forecast puts an 80% probability of a named storm, 53% of a hurricane and 23% for a major hurricane tracking within 50 miles of the Louisiana coast.
"Coastal residents are reminded that it only takes one hurricane making landfall to make it an active season for them, and they need to prepare the same for every season, regardless of how much activity is predicted," the report noted.
Hurricane season begins on June 1 and runs through November 30. CSU researchers will release updates to their forecast on June 3, July 8 and August 5.