Forecasters see more active 2008 hurricane season

By Christopher Doering

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The Atlantic hurricane season will be more active than forecasters first predicted, with up to 10 hurricanes expected to form, the U.S. government's top climate agency predicted on Thursday.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said the 2008 season could produce between 14 and 18 named storms, with seven to 10 becoming hurricanes and three to six of them being classified as "major" hurricanes.

In May, the agency forecast 12 to 16 named storms this season, with six to nine developing into hurricanes. Two to five could be major ones of Category 3 or higher with winds above 110 miles per hour (177 km per hour).

The 2008 Atlantic hurricane season has generated five tropical storms so far due to favorable oceanic and atmospheric conditions, warmer Atlantic ocean temperatures and lingering effects from La Nina. The agency said the above-average activity made July the third most active on record dating back to 1886.

Bertha and Dolly each reached hurricane strength with winds in excess of 74 mph (119 kph) before fading over the open Atlantic and washing up on the shores of south Texas.

The latest, Tropical Storm Edouard, came ashore on the upper Texas coast on Tuesday just below hurricane strength.

"We're still expecting a lot of activity," said Gerry Bell, lead seasonal hurricane forecaster at NOAA's Climate Prediction Center. "One of the key things that's critical is the fact that a couple of named storms have formed in the deep tropics and usually that's a very strong indicator that the season will be above normal."

NOAA now projects an 85 percent probability of an above-normal season, up from 65 percent in May.  Continued...