US forecasters foresee fewer hurricanes this season

U.S. forecasters say they have trimmed back the number of hurricanes they expect this season from seven to 11 to between six and nine. Still, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration projects it will be a busy season storm-wise, the Los Angeles Times reported Saturday. "Our confidence for an above-normal season is still high because the predicted atmospheric and oceanic conditions that are favorable for storm development have materialized," NOAA lead hurricane forecaster Gary Bell said this past week. The forecasters still predict there will be three to five major hurricanes and 13 to 20 named storms. That compares with 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes in a typical year. The forecasting agency said the number of severe storms has been scaled back because the atmospheric pattern known as La Nina, which can make hurricanes more likely, is not expected to be as great a factor as previously thought. The hurricane season's most active period is mid-August through October.