Hurricane forecast up

A noted US forecasting team has predicted an increased hurricane threat this year.



According to The Colorado State University hurricane team, the Atlantic season will produce an above-average eight hurricanes, four of them major.



An average Atlantic season has about 10 tropical storms, of which six become hurricanes.



In its latest revised forecast, the team, founded by pioneer William Gray, has also predicted a 58 per cent chance of a major hurricane tracking into the Caribbean.



Last month, another forecaster, AccuWeather.com also predicted a potentially extreme hurricane season this year, with above-normal threats to the US coastline.