US weather forecasters today predicted a normal Atlantic hurricane this year, according to dpa. There is a 70 per cent chance of nine to 14 named storms, with four to seven developing into hurricanes, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said. One to three of the hurricanes could be major storms of category 3 or above with winds above 178 kilometres per hour. The 2008 hurricane season saw eight hurricanes, including five strong storms. Hurricanes Gustav and Ike were the most damaging, killing hundreds across the Caribbean last September and causing billions of dollars in damage. Authorities said forecasting for hurricanes has become more complicated due to the effects of global warming. The hurricane season lasts from June 1 to November 30. According to the list compiled by NOAA, the season's first named storm will be called Ana. A storm is named when its winds reach 100 kilometres per hour. NOAA considers an average Atlantic hurricane season to consist of 11 named storms with six hurricanes and two strong hurricanes. The agency also issued its forecast for the central Pacific, calling for normal or below normal season there. An average Pacific season has four or five tropical cyclones.
