Forecasters Calling for 'Near-Normal' Hurricane Season:

Forecasters with the National Hurricane Center are calling for a "near-normal" Atlantic hurricane season for 2012. In its initial outlook for the 2012 Atlantic hurricane season -- which began Friday, June 1 and runs through November 30 -- the National Weather Service's Climate Prediction Center (CPC) is calling for a 50 percent probability of a near-normal season, a 25 percent probability of an above-normal season and a 25 percent probability of a below-normal season. The 2012 hurricane season began early when Tropical Storm Alberto and Tropical Storm Beryl both developed several days before the official start of the season, the first time since 1908 that two tropical storms developed early; the only other year with two storms so early in the season was 1887.

CPC forecasters say that there is a 70 percent chance of having 9-15 named storms, of which four to eight could become hurricanes, including one to three major hurricanes (Category 3, 4 or 5). These ranges do not represent the total possible ranges of activity seen in past similar years. Tropical systems acquire a name upon reaching tropical storm strength with sustained winds of at least 39 miles per hour. Tropical storms become hurricanes when winds reach 74 miles per hour and become major hurricanes when winds increase to 111 miles per hour. An average season has 12 named storms, including six hurricanes with three becoming major hurricanes. Read more here http://www.arrl.org/news/forecasters-calling-for-near-average-hurricane-season.

Source:

The ARRL Letter

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