WSI Issues 2009 Hurricane Season Update
Weather Authority's Tropical Forecast Calls for Less Active Season than Last Year
Andover, MA, April 20, 2009 — WSI Corporation’s updated 2009 hurricane season forecast now calls for 11 named storms, 6 hurricanes, and 2 intense hurricanes (category 3 or greater).
These forecast numbers are lower than those from the
WSI forecast issued in December (13 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 3
intense hurricanes) due to a continuation of relatively cool tropical
Atlantic Ocean temperatures and a waning of the recent La Nina event.
The 2009 forecast numbers are quite close to the long-term (1950-2008)
average of 9.8 named storms, 6.0 hurricanes, and 2.5 intense hurricanes).
The 2009 WSI tropical forecast comes on the heels of a very successful
2008 forecast. The WSI December forecast values of 14 named storms, 7
hurricanes, and 3 intense hurricanes were slightly smaller than the final
observed 2008 values of 16/8/5. The subsequent updates improved the forecast
further, as the April 2008 updated forecast values of 14 named storms,
8 hurricanes, and 4 intense hurricanes were the most accurate amongst
the publicly-available forecasts issued last spring.
“Ocean temperatures in the tropical Atlantic are
cooler, relative to normal, than at any time since 1994," said WSI
seasonal forecaster Dr. Todd Crawford. “Further, the recent La Nina
event has now ended, and we expect normal or even slightly above-normal
wind shear in the tropical Atlantic this season. Neither the cooler tropical
Atlantic nor the neutral wind shear conditions are enabling for tropical
activity this year. We have reduced our forecast numbers to adapt to the
latest information, and future changes to our forecast are more likely
to be towards smaller numbers than larger numbers.”
Energy and agricultural traders, insurance professionals and risk managers
look to WSI for accurate, timely weather information around the clock
and across the globe. The next full seasonal forecast package, which will
include forecasts for summer temperatures in both the US and Europe, will
be issued on May 27. The next update on the 2009 hurricane season will
be issued on May 26.
About WSI Corporation
WSI is the most trusted source of weather information across the globe. Top
insurance, risk management companies and financial institutions, worldwide,
trust WSI to supply them with easy-to-use, timely and expert weather guidance
to help anticipate market volatility, mitigate risk and make critical decisions
with confidence. WSI is a member of The Weather Channel Companies and is headquartered
in Andover, Massachusetts, with offices in Birmingham, England. The Weather
Channel Companies are owned by a consortium made up of NBC Universal and the
private equity firms, The Blackstone Group and Bain Capital. For more information,
please visit us on the web at www.wsi.com
or call us at 877.WSI.CORP or +44.121.233.7600.
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