Hurricane guru: Risk for ’05

Colorado State University’s Prof. William Gray expects 2005 to be calmer than 2004.  "We believe that 2005 will continue the trend of enhanced major hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin," Gray said in a news release, however the number of major storms will be less than in 2004.  The director of CSU’s Tropical Meteorology Project expects 11 named storms will occur between June 1 and Nov 30, with six of them becoming hurricanes.  This year, there were 15 named storms and 9 became hurricanes.  "We foresee an above-average probability of U.S. major hurricane landfall is anticipated," Gray said in a statement. " We do not, however, expect anything close to the U.S. landfalling hurricane activity of 2004."  However, he said there is an "above-average" major hurricane landfall risk in the Caribbean.