Here’s how many more hurricanes SC may have for the rest of 2023, forecasters say

It’s been a busy hurricane season so far, but more storms are expected before the year is out, forecasters say.

Lee, the latest Atlantic hurricane, strengthened back to a Category 3 on Sunday and could be stronger by Tuesday, according to the National Hurricane Center. While Lee won’t hit South Carolina, it isn’t expected to be the last Atlantic hurricane this season or even the last named storm. Atlantic hurricane season lasts from June 1 through November.

Here are how many hurricanes and named storms there have been during Atlantic hurricane season so far this year.

Hurricane season 2023 forecast

South Carolina is expected to have an above-normal hurricane season for the remainder of the year, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The forecast calls for 14-21 named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater), of which six to 11 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater). And of those, two to five could become major hurricanes (winds of 111 mph or greater).

Hurricane season so far

As of Monday afternoon there have been 13 named storms during Atlantic hurricane season 2023. Four of those strengthened into hurricanes and of those, three became major hurricanes.

That means that based on latest predictions, South Carolina could experience up to eight more named storms this season. Of those, up to seven are expected to become hurricanes and two could become major hurricanes.

Hurricane Lee formed just over a week after Hurricane Idalia, the only hurricane to hit South Carolina so far this year. The storm caused significant flooding to coastal counties in the state, as well as power outages and downed trees.

Atlantic hurricane season 2023 named storms so far

1. Arlene
2. Bret
3. Cindy
4. Don
5. Emily
6. Franklin
7. Gert
8. Harold
9. Idalia
10. Jose
11. Katia
12. Lee
13. Margot

Patrick McCreless

The State

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Patrick McCreless is the Southeast service journalism editor for McClatchy, who leads and edits a team of six reporters in South Carolina, Georgia and Mississippi. The team writes about trending news of the day and topics that help readers in their daily lives and better informs them about their communities. He attended Jacksonville State University in Alabama and grew up in Tuscaloosa, AL.