NJ Hurricane Season Begins: What To Expect In 2023

NEW JERSEY — Hurricane season officially began June 1 in New Jersey, and forecasters with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center predict near-normal hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year.

NOAA forecasts between 12 and 17 named storms, which have winds of 39 miles per hour or higher. Of these, between five and nine could become hurricanes (categorized as having winds over 73 mph) — with at least one major hurricane, and possibly up to four.

Right now, there are a pair of storms brewing in the south. The first, a tropical storm in the Gulf. The second, a tropical depression that could earn the name Arlene.

"Major hurricanes" are listed in categories 3, 4, or 5 on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Wind Scale, with winds of 111 mph or higher. NOAA made these predictions with 70 percent confidence.

Weather patterns, including an evolving El Niño pattern, show that Northeastern states may be spared the worst of this year’s Atlantic hurricane season. according to AccuWeather's 2023 Atlantic hurricane forecast.

AccuWeather predicted near the historical average of 11 to 15 named storms in the Atlantic during the 2023 hurricane season. AccuWeather said between four and eight of the forecast storms could reach hurricane-strength, and up to three of them could become major hurricanes — that is, those with maximum sustained winds of 111 mph or greater and rated 3-5.

Hurricane season in the Atlantic lasts from June 1 to Nov. 30. New Jersey saw its last major hurricane when the remnants of Ida hit the state on Sept. 1, 2021, flooding towns and killing 30 people. Federal officials approved the state’s plans to spend $228 million in disaster relief funds to help cover damages caused by Ida this January. Related article — 1 Year Later, Ida’s Devastation Still Grips New Jersey

The worst hurricane on record to affect the Garden State, of course, is Hurricane/Superstorm Sandy in 2012. Sandy was the first hurricane in decades to make direct landfall in New Jersey, causing 40 deaths and reshaping the landscape of several Shore towns.

On the 10th anniversary of Sandy’s landfall, Patch took a look back at the storm’s impact on NJ and what has changed – or hasn’t. Take a look here.