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Name That Storm: 2017 Atlantic Hurricane Forecast

The National Hurricane Center’s 2017 hurricane outlook and list of names.

By Jim Hendricks

Updated: May 30, 2017

Hurricane Katrina NASA

There’s good news for boaters along the upper Gulf of Mexico and Eastern Seaboard – the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season (June 1 to November 30) is forecast to be less active than the year prior, according to the annual hurricane assessment from the Colorado State University Tropical Meteorological project.

The CSU report calls for 11 named storms, with four achieving hurricane strength (sustained winds of at least 74 mph), with two of those reaching Category 3 (111- to 129-mph winds that can create devastating damage) or higher. In 2016, there were 15 named storms and seven hurricanes, with four of those reaching Category 3 or higher.

By way of background, based on a 30-year average, there are 12 named storms each Atlantic hurricane season, with six becoming hurricanes and two growing to Category 3 or higher.

Here is the list of 21 names with which the National Hurricane Center will label tropical depressions that might indeed grow to hurricane proportions. Here’s hoping that none ring with infamy in the years to come.