Hurricane season in the Atlantic begins Thursday and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says this one is expected to be less active than the past few years.Forecasters are calling for a near-average season with 12 to 17 named tropical systems. Five to nine of those systems are forecast to become hurricanes, and one to four of those hurricanes become major, meaning they are a Category 3 storm or higher at peak intensity.Warmer-than-average water temperatures and an active monsoon in West Africa are factors that could promote storms to develop and intensify. NOAA is expecting El Nino to develop in the next few months, something we have not seen in the past few years. When an El Nino forms, it usually makes the atmosphere more stable over the Atlantic, which can suppress storm development. Still, NOAA said it's a good idea for New England to remain vigilant. Knowing your local evacuation route and creating a disaster supply kit are two things you can prepare now, just in case a storm were to impact New Hampshire.On Wednesday, Federal Emergency Management Agency warned that the worst of this year's severe weather may not be limited to the summer months."It's not just a summer season of severe weather anymore. We're seeing it year-round from January, where we saw atmospheric rivers in California, to December, where we saw significant wildfires in Colorado," said Deanne Criswell, FEMA administrator. "We are seeing year-round severe weather events that are impacting people across this nation."It's now been 32 years since a hurricane hit New England. Hurricane Bob in 1991 made landfall as a Category 2 storm in Rhode Island.