Above-average hurricane season could bring 16 named storms in 2020

On Monday, Sept. 2, 2019, GOES East captured a view of Hurricane Dorian, a Category 5 storm, over Grand Bahama. (Photo: NOAA)

(Bloomberg) — Eight hurricanes could spin out of the Atlantic with an above-average chance at least one will make landfall in the U.S., Colorado State University said in its initial 2020 storm forecast.

If a hurricane hits early enough in the season, or if the COVID-19 virus isn’t overcome for months, it could complicate social-distancing efforts in key coastal areas. The good news: The odds for an early hurricane are small, according to Phil Klotzbach, the study’s lead author. None have hit before June 1, he said, with the worst part of the season running from August to October.