The United States could see between six and nine hurricanes form during the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season, U.S. government forecasters said. Officials from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) also predicted 12 to 16 named storms and two to five major hurricanes could form. The agency does not make predictions about whether the storms will hit land. But the predictions come with a caveat – the officials say there is only about 60 to 70 percent likelihood that their forecast will be correct. Gerry Bell, the agency's lead forecaster for Atlantic hurricanes, said probabilities were included because people had come to rely too much on the forecasts. Federal officials warned U.S. citizens to be aware of the dangers posed by hurricanes and named storms. “Living in a coastal state means having a plan for each and every hurricane season. Review or complete emergency plans now — before a storm threatens,” said Conrad Lautenbacher, NOAA administrator. “Planning and preparation is the key to storm survival and recovery.” Colorado State University weather researcher William Gray expects 15 named storms, eight hurricanes and four major this year. Last year, there were 15 named storms and six hurricanes, two of which were major. The government predicted 13 to 17 named storms, seven to 10 hurricanes and three to five major hurricanes. The Atlantic season begins June 1 and runs through November 30.
