Hurricane Season Predictions Heat Up

(May 31) NOAA Climate Prediction Center forecasts an active 2010 Atlantic hurricane season.

Last Thursday the NOAA released “most likely” projections for 14-23 total named storms, 8-14 hurricanes and 3-7 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher.  A hurricane season that followed the higher storm count predictions would make this 2010 hurricane season the second most active Atlantic season on record.  The 2005 hurricane season, totaling 28 named storms, 15 hurricanes and 7 major hurricanes, holds the title of number one most active Atlantic season.

The NOAA projections closely follow the forecast released from Weather Services International (WSI) and Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project.  WSI predicted 18 total named storms, 10 hurricanes and 5 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher.  Colorado State predicted 15 total named storms, 8 hurricanes and 4 major hurricanes of category 3 or higher.

Stay tuned for a Caribbean storm report.