Seasonal Forecasts
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts Philip J. Klotzbach, Dr. William M. Gray, and their associates at Colorado State University; and separately by NOAA forecasters.
Klotzbach's team (formerly led by Gray) has defined the average number of storms per season (1950–2000) as 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes (storms exceeding Category 3 strength in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 6–14 named storms, with 4–8 of those reaching hurricane strength, and 1–3 major hurricanes.
| Source | Date | Named storms |
Hurricanes | Major hurricanes |
| CSU | Average (1950–2000) | 9.6 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| NOAA | Average | 6–14 | 4–8 | 1–3 |
| Record high activity from 1950–2006 | 28 | 15 | 8 | |
| Record low activity from 1950–2006 | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| CSU | December 5, 2005 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| CSU | April 4, 2006 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| NOAA | May 22, 2006 | 13–16 | 8–10 | 4–6 |
| CSU | May 31, 2006 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| CSU | August 3, 2006 | 15 | 7 | 3 |
| NOAA | August 8, 2006 | 12–15 | 7–9 | 3–4 |
| CSU | September 1, 2006 | 13 | 5 | 2 |
| CSU | October 3, 2006 | 11 | 6 | 2 |
| Actual activity | 10 | 5 | 2 | |
Read more about this topic: 2006 Atlantic Hurricane Season