Forecasters see a busy hurricane season

This could be a big year for hurricanes, with four major storms predicted to hit the Atlantic basin in 2010.

According to a forecast released by a team of Colorado State University researchers Wednesday, eight hurricanes could occur this year. Four of them could have winds exceeding 110 mph. The average is six per year.

There’s a 69% chance a major hurricane will hit the U.S. coastline and a 45% chance it will strike the East Coast, including the Florida peninsula.

The team also predicted a 58% chance of a major storm entering the Caribbean. This is the team’s second 2010 forecast. It’s now predicting more hurricanes than before because of weakening El Niño conditions combined with higher temperatures.

The season, which starts June 1 and typically peaks around Sept. 10, could see a total of 15 named tropical storms.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration will announce its predictions May 20.

In March, AccuWeather.com also forecast an “extreme” hurricane season this year, with “above-normal threats” to the U.S. coastline.

The Colorado State University team noted that extended-range forecasts are not always accurate.

The team originally expected seven hurricanes in 2009. But the season, which ended Nov. 30, was the quietest since 1997. Only nine storms, including three hurricanes, occurred.

“We were lucky last year,” said William Gray, one of the researchers with Colorado State University. “There was very little damage.”

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