The National Meteorological Service (SMN) is predicting there will be more hurricanes than usual this hurricane season.

It’s predicting 14-19 tropical storms and hurricanes in the Pacific Ocean and 16-21 in the Atlantic.

The Pacific hurricane season runs from May 15 to November 30 while the Atlantic season commences June 1 and concludes at the end of November.

The SMN predicts that five Pacific and Atlantic hurricanes will make landfall in Mexico.

General coordinator Alejandra Méndez Girón told a press conference that between two and four Pacific hurricanes are predicted to be Category 3, 4 or 5. Between four and five are predicted to be Category 1 or 2, while eight to 10 tropical storms are anticipated.

Authorities in Baja California Sur have already installed 174 temporary shelters in preparation for the Pacific hurricane season.

Méndez said that two to four Category 3, 4 and 5 hurricanes are also predicted in the Atlantic this year. Four to six Category 1 and 2 hurricanes are anticipated while the remainder of the predicted activity is not expected to surpass storm level.

She noted that 40 named storm systems formed in the Pacific and Atlantic oceans last year, adding that the number was 48% above the average for the last 50 years. Nineteen formed in the Pacific and 21 in the Atlantic.

Six hurricanes made landfall in Mexico last year, claiming lives and causing significant damage. They were Rick, Pamela, Olaf, Nora, Grace and Enrique.

Mexico News Daily