NOAA: Central Pacific will see more hurricanes than average

HONOLULU – Forecasters say the 2015 hurricane season in the central Pacific region will see more storms than average because of warmer ocean water.

Tom Evans, the acting director of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Central Pacific Hurricane Center, said at a news conference Tuesday that the prediction is based largely on current El Nino conditions in the region. El Nino is the warming of the water on the surface of the ocean along the equator, he said, and there are more storms on average during El Nino years.

“El Nino has been established, it’s out there,” Evans said. “We have the warm water and it’s been increasing over the last many months.” The El Nino conditions are expected to strengthen during the hurricane season, he added.

The prediction means Hawaii and the surrounding area will likely see between five and eight storms this season. There is a 70 percent chance of having an above-normal season.

Hawaii Gov. David Ige was at the news conference and urged people to prepare for the upcoming season.

“We know that no matter how much we prepare we can never be over prepared,” he said. “I really do embrace the notion that preparedness is the best thing that we can do at every level.”

The region’s hurricane season lasts from June 1 through Nov. 30.