Twice As Many Hurricanes Forecast

Tuesday, June 3rd, 2003 Catastrophe Property

This year‘s Atlantic hurricane season, which officially began yesterday, could be of "above-average" intensity, according to forecasters at the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. Frank Lepore, spokesperson for NOAA‘s National Hurricane Center in Miami, said there is a general consensus that the season, which will end Nov. 30, would be a season with above-average storm frequency. Historically, from the 1950s to present, "we would average about 9.6 named Atlantic storms per season"--storms whose wind speed reaches at least 39 miles per hour, Mr. Lepore said. Among these 9.6 named storms, about six would develop further and become hurricanes, with winds of at least 74 miles per hour.

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http://www.nationalunderwriter.com/pandc/hotnews/viewPC.asp?article=6_2_03_10_9214.xml&src=5

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