2011 Hurricane Season Projections Down Slightly

As the 2011 hurricane season draws closer, the storm forecasting team at Colorado State University revises its prediction down slightly.

Team co-leader Dr. Phil Klotzbach says CSU's December prediction of 17 named storms is now reduced to 16; nine of those hurricanes, with five Category 3 or stronger. Klotzbach says the slight down-revision is due to weakening La Nina conditions and a slight cooling of Atlantic sea surface temperatures. He says the revised forecast is no reason for anyone to relax preparedness for a possible landfall. The CSU forecast gives a 72% chance that at least one major storm will hit the U.S. and a 61% chance for a major storm going through the Caribbean. Klotzbach says the odds of a major hurricane landfall along the Gulf Coast are a bit higher than normal this year