U.S. Forecasters Raise Hurricane Outlook
Aug-10-2012

The Atlantic hurricane season got off to an early start and will likely stay busy, producing a few more storms than originally predicted, which could come early before tapering off, U.S. forecasters said Thursday.

Forecasters said warmer-than-normal sea surface temperatures and wind patterns that favor storm formation mean chances are higher for an above-normal season. However, that is tempered with the expected development of an El Nino weather pattern over the Pacific may suppress storms later in the season.

The season so far has produced four tropical storms and two hurricanes. Twelve to 17 tropical storms were expected with as many as five to eight hurricanes, compared to a normal Atlantic season that produces about a dozen named storms, forecasters said. A couple could become major hurricanes with winds of 111 mph or higher.

Last year was one of the busiest seasons on record with 19 named systems, including Irene, one of the costliest storms in U.S. history.

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