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Hello and wake up, wake up, wake up.
It's the first of the month.
I'm Coy Wire.
This is CNN 10.
I got to meet some of you in Washington, D.C. over the weekend.
Awesome.
We will be bringing some behind the scenes looks from the Scripps National Spelling Bee later this week.
For now, let's get you your news for Monday, June 1st.
Today marks the official start of the Atlantic hurricane season, and this year may be a little less stormy than usual.
That's according to the first official forecast from NOAA, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
Forecasters predict between 8 and 14 named storms this season, slightly below average.
One reason?
A climate pattern called El Niño brewing thousands of miles away in the Pacific Ocean.
It can act as a giant atmospheric referee, helping break up storms before they gain strength in the Atlantic.
Our Allison Chinchar is here to help us understand how El Nino's return could contribute to the number of storms we'll see this year.
Hi, Allison.
Hey Koi, yes, and the best part is the forecast is actually calling for a below normal season.
So let's break down the numbers.
The official forecast from NOAA calls for about a 35% chance of having an average season.
However, a more than 50% chance of having a below average season.
So let's break down what those numbers actually mean.
In a normal year, we would typically have 14 total named storms, seven of which would reach hurricane strength and three of them reaching major hurricane strength, which is category three, four or five.
But this year, those numbers are a little bit lower.
The official forecast calls for eight to 14 total named storms.
So we could get up to that average number, but more likely than not we'll have a slightly lower number.
Same thing for hurricanes.
The forecast only calls for about three to six of those to become named hurricanes.
Now, one of the biggest factors in this forecast is El Nino.
Typically in an El Nino year, wind shear increases across this area you see shaded in red.
Essentially, what that means is it's inhibiting development of tropical cyclones that move through that region.
In addition to that, you also have fewer storms that come off the coast of Africa, which is oftentimes where we get some additional tropical systems there.
Now one thing to note is peak hurricane season runs from August 15th to about October 15th.
That happens to be the exact same time when we anticipate El Nino to really ramp up this year.
In fact noting that's pretty high chances of having a strong El Nino event by the time we get to September and October.
So certainly something to keep a close eye on.
Now here is the full list of names.
Coy, I don't see your name.
I'll have to work on a petition perhaps to get your name added to the list, perhaps in maybe some future years.
Hurricane Coy?
Nice ring to it.
I know you taught me that Allison is the only name to be retired as a tropical storm strength system to make landfall in the US.
The more you know.
Now to Florida, where an investigation is underway after a Blue Origin rocket left the launch pad looking like it got hit by a dragon's sneeze.
At Cape Canaveral last week.
Video captured the moment the New Glenn rocket exploded during what's called a hot fire test, a crucial step where engines are fired while the rocket remains anchored to the ground.
Blue Origin, founded by Amazon's Jeff Bezos, says everyone on site was safe and they're now working to understand what caused the anomaly.
Our Jackie Waddles has more.
A lot of people are searching for Blue Origin right now after one of the company's new Glenn rockets exploded on the launch pad during a routine ground test in Florida on Thursday.
Now, this is a big setback for the space company that was founded and is funded by Amazon billionaire Jeff Bezos, and The explosion likely damaged key infrastructure at the company's launch site, but we don't really know the extent of the fallout.
That's not immediately clear, though Blue Origin did say in a statement that all employees have been accounted for.
And why is this a big deal?
Well, The company is looking for New Glenn to take on SpaceX's workhorse Falcon 9 rockets, which have been dominating the global launch industry for years.
And they don't currently have any real competition.
So New Glenn is Blue Origin's first orbital rocket, a far more powerful and difficult to construct rocket than those suborbital space tourism rockets that Blue Origin is better known for for launching.
Another reason Blue Origin is making waves with this setback.
Nuclen is not only considered hugely important for the company's core business of launching satellites to space for paying customers, This rocket is also expected to launch a test flight of the company's moon lander later this year.
That lander.
It's called Blue Moon and it's a precursor to one that NASA is counting on to deliver astronauts to the moon's surface, amid a new space race with China.
And Blue Origin is competing directly with SpaceX on that front as well, with both companies battling to deliver their vehicles to NASA and make that first crewed return to the moon since the Apollo program ended five decades ago.
Now to a mystery that had people looking up startled.
Witnesses across several states reported hearing two loud booms and feeling the ground shake.
Officials say the likely culprit was a meteor breaking apart in the sky.
Here's what it sounded like near Boston.
Experts believe a space rock that was about three feet wide slammed into Earth's atmosphere, and friction heated it to thousands of degrees, causing it to break apart.
Most of it never reached the Earth's surface and any debris likely splashed into the Atlantic Ocean.
A cosmic visitor that arrived with a bang and left without a trace.
Pop quiz, hot shot.
Which animal was reintroduced to the Grand Canyon region after disappearing for 60 years?
California condor, desert tortoise, canyon tree frog, or mountain lion?
If you said California condor, you're soaring today.
After a major captive breeding effort in the 1930s, these giant birds with wingspans approaching 10 feet can once again be found gliding and nesting around parts of the Grand Canyon.
This is Blue.
Blue has an important job to do, helping prevent human-wildlife interaction at Grand Canyon National Park.
It's a growing problem.
The park service says elk and bighorn sheep have gotten too comfortable around visitors, using developed areas as shelter from predators.
And that's where Blue comes in.
The Catahoula Leopard Hound is part of the park's Conservation Canine Pilot Project.
She'll roam the park with her handler, using controlled barking and herding pressure to move animals back towards natural habitats.
The project lead said in a news release this is a humane way to quote reduce dangerous habituation and help wildlife remain wild.
For the first time ever, Hong Kong hosted an official Comic-Con, joining a global lineup of fan conventions that stretch from cities like New York Atlanta London, Tokyo and Brussels.
The three-day event first started in 1970 in San Diego.
To encourage fans to celebrate and learn more about comic books anime, movies and gaming.
CNN's Ivan Watson takes us to see Comic-Con's real superpower creativity.
Oh my goodness, it's Colonel Sanders with big muscles and fried chicken.
Just an example of the random stuff that I'm seeing at Hong Kong's first Comic-Con.
And the crowd here is in form and It's fun.
Where else do you get to see Rick with his portal and I don't even know what that machine is.
And over here you got Groot wandering around waving at people and statues of Spider-Man showing his hindquarters.
This is a venue where people get to nerd out and celebrate nerd culture.
And I love it.
I confess that I'm a bit of a kid in a candy store right now because...
I grew up reading Marvel comics, superhero comics, and I wouldn't let anybody at middle school see my issues of Uncanny X-Men because I was a little bit ashamed of it.
But here This kind of culture is being celebrated.
It has gone fully mainstream.
The whole point at these things is to be a fan, to dress up, to have people take photos of you and to take photos.
Hey, Freddie.
How's it going, man?
That's wonderful.
How's your first Comic-Con in Hong Kong?
Oh, yes.
Digging it.
All right.
And that is my report as I geek out at Hong Kong's first Comic-Con.
Today's story getting a 10 out of 10.
Why walk when you can positively race?
In Northeast China, runners teamed up with their four-legged friends for a two-mile road race.
Some pups blasted off like furry rockets chasing a tennis ball.
Others treated the course like a networking event, stopping to sniff and make a few new friends.
The toughest obstacle isn't always the distance.
It's convincing your teammate that the finish line is more exciting than literally anything else.
There were separate divisions for small and large dogs, and the top dogs earned ski tickets and hotel stays, proving every good doggy deserves a getaway.
But all dogs got plenty of treats, belly rubs, and a doggone awesome day in the sun.
All right, sunshine, time for some shout outs today.
Mrs Cahoe and friends at Glencoe High School in Hillsboro Oregon, rise up and thank you for making us a part of your day.
Next up, we have a shout out going to Mrs. Brown and Mrs.
Pattershaw at Freeport Middle School in Maine.
Thank you for your thoughtful letters and cards.
Hope you have a jubilant June 1st.
And remember, you are more powerful than you know.
See you tomorrow.
I'm Coy Wire and we are CNN 10.
Spring just slid into your DMs.
Grab that boho, look for that rooftop dinner, those sandals that can keep up with you and hang some string lights to give your patio a glow up.
Spring's calling.
Ross, work your magic.
