The 2023 Atlantic hurricane season begins with these storm names: NPR

Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida in September 2022. The Category 4 storm swept through Fort Myers Beach with damaging winds and a 15-foot storm surge.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

hide caption

toggle caption

Win McNamee/Getty Images

Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida in September 2022. The Category 4 storm swept through Fort Myers Beach with damaging winds and a 15-foot storm surge.

Win McNamee/Getty Images

There is no rest for storm-weary US coastal residents as the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season begins. The six-month season runs from June 1 to November 30.

Meteorologists expect this year to be fairly typical.

The official NOAA forecast predicts a “near normal” number of storms in 2023. “NOAA predicts a range of 12-17 total named storms (winds of 39 mph or greater). Of these, 5-9 could become hurricanes (winds of 74 mph or greater), including 1 to 4 major hurricanes (Category 3, 4, or 5; with winds of 111 mph or greater).

Typical or not, it only takes one storm to do catastrophic damage – especially if it hits where you live.

Last year was pretty average – but it included one of the most destructive storms ever. In September, Hurricane Ian hit southwest Florida when it landed in Lee County just before a high-level Category 5 storm with 150 mph winds. A huge 15-foot surge, inland flooding, electrocution and other Ian-related issues killed at least 149 people in the state. It was the third costliest hurricane of all time, causing $114 billion in damage.

As the season begins, emergency officials are pleading with residents to heed calls to evacuate if a storm approaches and follow the advice of local officials.

This year, meteorologists improved storm surge forecasts to give people more time to evacuate and expanded the tropical weather outlook from five to seven days.

Here are the 21 storm names for the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season – with official NHC pronunciations.

Arlene (ar-LEEN), Bret (bret), Cindy (SIN-dee), Don (dahn), Emily (EH-mih-lee), Franklin (FRANK-lin), Gert (gert), Harold (HAIR-uld ), Idalia (ee-DAL-ya), Jose (ho-ZAY), Katia (KAH-tyah), Lee (lee), Margot (MAR-go), Nigel (NY-juhl), Ophelia (o-FEEL- ya), Philip (fee-LEEP), Rina (REE-nuh), Sean (shawn), Tammy (TAM-ee), Vince (vinss), Whitney (WHIT-nee)

Hurricane Information: Storm names alternate between male and female and are reused every six years unless a storm is particularly deadly or destructive (then its name is retired). There are no storms that start with Q, U, X, Y, or Z due to a lack of usable names.