Above Average Hurricane Season Predicted

Noted hurricane researcher Dr. William Gray, from Colorado State University, updated his 2008 hurricane predictions, stating the Atlantic Hurricane Season would be "well above average."

He comments rising water temperatures in the Atlantic will bring help fuel the increase, which includes four major storms.

Dr. Gray has been issuing hurricane predictions for over 20 years. Recently, he and his staff have been criticized for not quite hitting the mark.

The 2007 Atlantic season saw 15 named storms, six of which became hurricanes. Two were major storms. Not quite as active as Gray and others predicted.

Here are some of the highlights from Dr. Grays outook.

• Calls for 15 named storms in the Atlantic in 2008
• Calls for 8 hurricanes
• Calls for 4 intense hurricanes (CAT 3 or higher)
• Probability that at least one major hurricane will make landfall along the United States coastline is 69%

There's an average of 5.9 hurricanes that form in the Atlantic each year. Remember, these are forecasts based on many uncertainties. You should always be prepared.

U.S. government forecasters at NOAA and the National Hurricane Center will issue their seasonal outlook in late May. Not matter how many storms are predicted, it only takes one to make the whole season a bad one.

The best advice? Be prepared.

--Meteorologist Brent Watts