Hurricane Prediction Lowered

While lawmakers in coastal states debated property insurance rates and reforms, forecasters lowered their 2009 Atlantic forecast to 12 tropical storms, of which six could become hurricanes.

The Colorado State University team said the season could see two “major” hurricanes of Category 3 or higher on the five-step Saffir-Simpson intensity scale. In its December forecast, the CSU team predicted 14 storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes in the 2009 season, which begins on June 1 and lasts six months.

Forecasts can be wrong. CSU predicted 15 tropical storms for the 2005 season, but a record 28 formed.