NOAA predicts near-normal hurricane seasons

Despite some early storms this year, forecasters Thursday predicted a near-normal Atlantic hurricane season with nine to 15 named storms, including four to eight hurricanes and one to three major hurricanes. Gerry Bell, lead hurricane season forecaster at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Climate Prediction Center, told reporters that uncertainty about whether the El Nino weather pattern will form made it difficult to be more precise. The hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.