8 Atlantic hurricanes predicted for '08
Last Updated: Wednesday, April 9, 2008 | 2:07 PM ET
CBC News
The Atlantic basin can expect an above-average hurricane season, with 15 tropical storms expected to hit and more than half of them strengthening into hurricanes, researchers predicted Wednesday.
"Current oceanic and atmospheric trends indicate that we will likely have an active Atlantic basin hurricane season," said William Gray, who founded the Colorado State University forecast team.
The team forecasts that the storms will form in the Atlantic basin between June 1 and Nov. 30. Eight will become hurricanes, with four of those expected to develop into intense or major hurricanes with powerful winds of 180 km/h or greater.
"We are calling for a very active hurricane season this year, but not as active as the 2004 and 2005 seasons," said Phil Klotzbach, also a member of the Colorado team.
Forecasters said warm sea surface temperatures will provide favourable conditions for an active hurricane season.
The forecast is an update of December predictions that projected seven hurricanes, three of them intense.
Gray has been issuing hurricane predictions for more than 20 years, but he and the Colorado team have been criticized in recent years for inaccurate forecasts.
An average of 5.9 hurricanes form in the Atlantic each year.
With files from the Associated PressShare Tools
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