Experts Forecast an Above-Average 2010 Hurricane Season

On the Horizon

Hurricane forecasters with Colorado State University’s Tropical Meteorology Project forecast an above-average Atlantic storm season for 2010. They anticipate 11 to 16 named storms, of which 6 to 8 to become hurricanes, with 3 to 5 to strengthen to major hurricanes (Categories 3, 4 and 5 in severity) reaching sustained winds of 111 miles per hour or more. The hurricane season begins on June 1 and runs through November 30, with peak exposures in the months of August and September. The Colorado State University team assigns a two-thirds probability of at least one major hurricane to make landfall, striking the U.S. coastline in 2010. For the U.S. East Coast, the probability of a major hurricane making landfall is 40%.  The team derives its forecasts from meteorological data and revises it as conditions warrant. Neverthless, the message for small businesses is clear: while we thankfully escaped a major storm in the U.S. this year, we cannot become complacent.