Blame it on El Niño. The weather pattern that was supposed to keep hurricanes at bay has dissipated, and now forecasters say the U.S. could face more big storms forming over the Atlantic than normal this season. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Thursday that it expects to see up to 17 named storms by the time the season ends in November—including up to nine hurricanes. Between two and four of those hurricanes could reach Category 3 or higher, the Tampa Bay Times reported.