Last week, NOAA released its annual hurricane season outlook, which put it at a "below normal" season. In total, officials predict there will be a 70 percent chance of six to 11 named storms, three to six hurricanes and zero to two major hurricanes.

SLIDESHOW: 2015 hurricane names

"A below-normal season doesn't mean we're off the hook," NOAA states. "As we've seen before, below-normal seasons can still produce catastrophic impacts to communities."

According to NOAA, current predictions put the 2015 hurricane season at a 20 percent chance of a near-normal season and a 10 percent chance of an above-normal one. Officials said the reason for their outlook centers around El Niño.

"The main factor expected to suppress the hurricane season this year is El Niño, which is already affecting wind and pressure patterns," NOAA stated. "We also expect sea surface temperatures in the tropical Atlantic to be close to normal, whereas warmer waters would have supported storm development."

LINK: Learn more about hurricanes from NOAA

According to NOAA, areas included in the Atlantic basin include the Atlantic Ocean, Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical cyclones are classified as tropical depressions, tropical storms, hurricanes or major hurricanes.

With the start of hurricane season, now is a great opportunity to download the WDSU Hurricane Central app for iPhone and Android.

The app allows you to see if you’re in the storm’s path by viewing the latest cone of uncertainty and Spaghetti Models for the tropics. The easy-to-follow “threat meter” shows you when there’s reason for concern and when all is quiet in the Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean Sea.

Beginning Monday, WDSU will be providing daily updates to the Hurricane Central app with video forecasts, articles and plenty more up-to-the-minute coverage.

LINK: Download WDSU Hurricane Central App

More information about the Atlantic hurricane season can be found on NOAA's website.