News Climate Why the 2023 Atlantic hurricane season is especially hard to predict Forecasts hinge on what will happen with El Niño and Atlantic sea surface temperatures Hurricane Ian (shown, with its eye just west of Florida) roared ashore on September 28, 2022. Last year, there were 14 named storms in the Atlantic. What 2023's season will bring is still highly uncertain. NOAA Share this:EmailFacebookTwitterPinterestPocketRedditPrint By Carolyn Gramling May 26, 2023 at 4:38 pm It’s hard to know how busy this year’s Atlantic hurricane season will be, thanks to a rarely observed combination of ocean and climate conditions.