The summer is predicted to have warmer sea temperatures and an El Niño pattern, which typically creates stronger upper-level winds across the Atlantic, making it harder for tropical storms to form. This could result in fewer storms during the second half of the Atlantic hurricane season than the first half due to the timing of the El Niño's timing. AccuWeather is predicting 11 to 16 named storms for the upcoming hurricane season, a decrease from the historical average of 14 named storms. The average of 10 named storms and five hurricanes is expected, compared to 15 storms and eight hurricanes during La Niña years. However, even if it is below average, there are still potential major hits across the United States.