2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season - Seasonal Forecasts

Seasonal Forecasts

Predictions of tropical activity in the 2008 season
Source Date Named
storms
Hurricanes Major
hurricanes
CSU Average (1950–2000) 9.6 5.9 2.3
NOAA Average (1950–2005) 11.0 6.2 2.7
Record high activity 28 15 8
Record low activity 4 2 0
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
CSU December 7, 2007 13 7 3
CSU April 9, 2008 15 8 4
NOAA May 22, 2008 12–16 6–9 2–5
CSU June 3, 2008 15 8 4
UKMO June 18, 2008 15* N/A N/A
CSU August 5, 2008 17 9 5
NOAA August 7, 2008 14-18 7-10 3-6
Actual activity 16 8 5
––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
* July–November only: 15 storms observed in this period.

Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts Dr. Philip J. Klotzbach, Dr. William M. Gray, and their associates at Colorado State University; and separately by NOAA forecasters.

Dr. Klotzbach's team (formerly led by Dr. Gray) defined the average number of storms per season (1950 to 2000) as 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes (storms reaching at least Category 3 strength in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 9 to 12 named storms, with 5 to 7 of those reaching hurricane strength, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes.

Read more about this topic:  2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season