Researchers at the Colorado State University TropicalMeteorology Project said yesterday that this year's Atlantichurricane season is forecast to include nine hurricanes–one morethan the team's June prediction.

The updated forecast also increased the number of intensehurricanes expected–ones that measure Category 3 or higher withsustained winds over 111 miles per hour–from four to five.

Meanwhile, The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administrationsaid today that there could be between 14 and 18 named storms, withseven to 10 becoming hurricanes and three to six of them beingclassified as “major” hurricanes.

An earlier NOAA forecast said six to nine storms could developeinto hurricanes and two to five could be major ones

Colorado University's forecast came on the same day thatmeteorologists at Tropical Storm Risk, London, at the Benfield UCLHazard Research Centre, increased its forecast saying hurricaneactivity would be 90 percent above normal. In July it predictedactivity 35 percent above the norm.

TSR also predicted that a second hurricane will hit the UnitedStates this year. Hurricane Dolly struck Texas last month.

The Colorado forecast stated that there is an increased 67percent chance of an intense hurricane hitting the U.S. coastline.The average for the entire coastline for the last 100 years is 52percent.

Researchers there said they changed the forecast because of acombination of weather pattern adjustments:

o An active early tropical cyclone season in the deeptropics.

o More hurricane-enhancing sea surface temperature in thetropical Atlantic.

o Increased sea level pressure patterns in the tropical Atlanticthat add to hurricane development.

Researchers said their biggest concern with the forecast changeis the consistent warming of the ocean surface in the eastern andcentral tropical Pacific. “Although it seems unlikely at thispoint, there is a possibility that an El Ni?o could develop thisfall,” their forecast report said.