WASHINGTON, May 23, 2024 (BSS/AFP) - The North Atlantic hurricane season, which starts on June 1, is forecast to be "extraordinary," with between four and seven hurricanes of Category 3 or higher expected, the US NOAA weather agency said Thursday.

"This season is looking to be an extraordinary one in a number of ways," said Rick Spinrad of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, which cited warm Atlantic ocean temperatures and La Nina conditions in the Pacific for the expected increase in storms.