NOAA

Here is a view of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) seen from the RSMAS campus (University of Miami) across the causeway in Key Biscayne.

NOAA’s Climate Prediction Center today released its update to the 2007 Atlantic Hurricane Season Outlook, maintaining its expectations for an above-normal season. As we enter the peak months (August through October) of the Atlantic hurricane season, NOAA scientists are predicting an 85 percent chance of an above-normal season, with the likelihood of 13 to 16 named storms, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, of which three to five could become major hurricanes (Category 3 strength or higher on the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). To be truthful, I really do not believe any of the predictions of the scientists because I don't think our science is capable of such prediction.

At the moment, there are two potential hurricanes, one in the Atlantic and one entering the Gulf of Mexico (not counting a Pacific counterpart named Flossie just South of the big island of Hawaii.) If named, they will be Dean and Erin.