Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane experts Philip Klotzbach and Dr. William Gray issued their updated forecast for the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season. In their report released on the Tropical Meteorology Project website, the CSU forecasters continue to forecast an active hurricane season across the Atlantic and Caribbean basins. Klotzbach and Gray cite expected cool neutral or weak-tomoderate La Niña conditions in the equatorial Pacific Ocean and above average Tropical and North Atlantic sea surface temperatures as the main factors in their above average forecast for the Atlantic and Caribbean hurricane season, which starts on June 1st and continues through November 30th.
In addition, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released their prediction for the upcoming hurricane season on May 22nd in correlation with Hurricane Preparedness Week. Their forecast also calls for above average tropical system activity across the Atlantic and Caribbean oceans, with the governmental division expecting 13 to 17 named storms, 7 to 10 hurricanes and 3 to 5 major hurricanes. NOAA cites above average Atlantic sea surface temperatures and the possible development of a La Niña episode in the equatorial Pacific Ocean as the main factors for the expected heightened activity for the season.