The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on Monday predicted a busy Atlantic hurricane season this year, with eight to 10 hurricanes, but not a repeat of the season in 2005.

The U.S. government's top climate agency said in its annual forecast report that there will be 13 to 16 named storms for 2006. Of the up to 10 hurricanes, four to six could be major hurricanes, or of Category 3 strength or higher, with winds of at least 178-209 kph.

There are five steps on the Saffir-Simpson scale to measure hurricane activity. Storms of Category 3 and higher cause the most damage.

In the last season, there were 28 named storms in the Atlantic Basin, which includes Caribbean and the Gulf of Mexico. Of them, 15 became hurricanes, with seven of Category 3 or higher, far exceeding predictions and creating a record. Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans, causing 1,300 deaths and losses of 80 billion U.S. dollars.

Last year, NOAA had predicted 12 to 15 tropical storms, with seven to nine becoming hurricanes, including three to five considered "major".

The average season has 11 named storms, with six of them becoming hurricanes, including two reaching Category 3.

The U.S. official forecasts for season 2006 are similar to those by Colorado State University forecasters. Last month, experts William Gray and Phillip Klotzbach predicted up to 17 storms, including nine hurricanes, five of them intense.

Hurricane activity has a decades-long cycle, and we are currently in a busy period. Warm water in the Atlantic, which fuel the big storms, and atmospheric conditions are for a busy hurricane season this year, government forecasters said. It appears that the Pacific Ocean water conditions known as El Nino and La Nina will not have any impact on the Atlantic hurricane season this year.

La Nina is an occurrence of unusually cool water in the Pacific that can enhance Atlantic storm activity, while El Nino is a warm-water phenomenon in the eastern Pacific that can do the opposite.

The Atlantic hurricane season runs from June 1 to Nov. 30.

Source: Xinhua