HURRICANE EXPERTS PREDICTED MONDAY THAT THIS YEAR'S ATLANTIC SEASON WOULD BE ANOTHER 'VERY ACTIVE' ONE, BUT WITH FEWER INTENSE STORMS THAN THE DEVASTATING 2005 SEASON, ACCORDING TO DPA. IN THEIR FIRST FORECAST OF THE YEAR, COLORADO STATE UNIVERSITY EXPERTS PREDICTED ABOUT NINE HURRICANES IN 2006, INCLUDING FIVE INTENSE HURRICANES RANGING IN STRENGTH FROM THREE TO FIVE, THE TOP LEVEL. LAST YEAR, METEOROLOGISTS COUNTED 15 ATLANTIC HURRICANES, INCLUDING SEVEN INTENSE ONES LIKE HURRICANES KATRINA, RITA, WILMA AND DENNIS. THE SEASONS OFFICIALLY BEGINS ON JUNE 1. SOME 1,300 PEOPLE ON THE US GULF COAST DIED AFTER KATRINA STRUCK LAST AUGUST, FLATTENING ENTIRE TOWNS AND FLOODING MOST OF THE CITY OF NEW ORLEANS. 'WE BELIEVE THAT 2006 WILL BE A VERY ACTIVE SEASON IN THE ATLANTIC BASIN,' THE REPORT SAID, PREDICTING THAT THE WARM SEA SURFACE TEMPERATURES THAT FUEL HURRICANES WOULD CONTINUE TO BE PRESENT. --MORE 22 57 LOCAL TIME 19 57 GMT
