Colorado State University (CSU) maintained its Atlantic hurricane season forecast Wednesday, saying the odds of a major hurricane making landfall in the continental United States remain "well below-average" as researchers are "extremely confident" a strong El Niño will be present during the peak of the season. In comparison, an average Atlantic hurricane season produces 14 named storms, including 7 hurricanes and 3 major hurricanes. CSU states a moderate-to-strong El Niño conditions are already present and is very likely to reach a strong El Niño (greater than 1.5°C) by the peak of the season. However, many other factors outside of El Niño can impact Atlantic hurricane activity, most notably water temperatures in the tropical Atlantic. Meanwhile, El Niño events typically enhance development in the Eastern Pacific due to the warm water temperatures.