Hurricane forecast boosted to 18-21 storms

Posted by Benji Riggins on June 28, 2010 under Insurance News | Be the First to Comment

AccuWeather Inc. recently boosted its forecast for the 2010 Atlantic hurricane season to 18 to 21 named storms from its previous prediction of 16 to 18.

Forecasters also said that at least three of the storms would move through the region currently affected by the Gulf of Mexico oil spill.

According to AccuWeather’s chief hurricane forecaster, Joe Bastardi, the U.S. will experience its worse storms during September. “Expect eight named storms in September and three or four U.S. impacts.”

Forecasters are predicting more activity in part because sea temperatures are higher than normal west of Africa, while activity related to El Nino, which can act to retard Atlantic hurricane activity, has declined.

The U.S. National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is also predicting an active season, forecasting 14 to 23 named storms. The most active season on record occurred in 2005, when there were 28 named storms, including Hurricane Katrina.