Business View Caribbean - Dec 2023

7 BUSINESS VIEW CARIBBEAN VOLUME 10, ISSUE 8 OPENING L INES O p e n i n g L i n e s 2023 Hurricane Season Wraps Up As One Of The Most Active Years On Record Source: Caribbeannewsnow.com, News Editor, Dec 04 The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) specialists have called the recently concluded 2023 hurricane season as one of the most tumultuous on record. With a staggering tally of 20 named storms, including seven hurricanes, three of which reached the formidable status of major hurricanes, this season has drawn attention as a particularly intense period of weather activity, Dominica News Online reported. The hurricane season officially ended on Thursday, November 30. Experts from NOAA released their assessment, highlighting the exceptional intensity and frequency of storm formations throughout the period. The season’s 20 named storms surpassed the annual average significantly, despite the presence of the El Niño weather phenomenon, marking a remarkable occurrence in meteorological patterns. Traditionally, El Niño tends to subdue Atlantic storm activity, resulting in fewer named storms. Matthew Rosencrans, the lead hurricane forecaster at NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center, highlighted the exceptional nature of the 2023 hurricane season within El Niño-influenced years, stating, “The Atlantic basin witnessed the highest number of named storms on record despite the influence of El Niño.”