LONDON - A higher-than-usual number of hurricanes are expected to slam into the United States this year, a leading hurricane forecaster said on Monday, threatening areas trying to rebuild from last year's devastating storms.
Tropical Storm Risk, a London-based storm forecaster, raised its outlook for hurricane activity in the Atlantic this year by 30 percent from its July outlook on the expectation of higher-than-normal sea temperatures and winds in the region.
There is a high probability of an above-average number of tropical storms, which can intensify into hurricanes, making landfall in the United States, the group said.
It forecasts a total of 22 tropical storms this season, which would be the highest recorded, with seven tropical storms hitting the United States during the June 1-Nov. 30 season. It said it expected three tropical storms to become hurricanes.
Its figures include the three tropical storms and Hurricane Dennis which have already hit the United States since the season began.
Insurers pay an average of $3.0 billion in claims caused by hurricane damage, said Tropical Storm Risk.
The group had warned of an above normal number of storms in 2004, when four major hurricanes caused widespread devastation across the Caribbean and the United States and insurers paid $23 billion in claims.
The group bases its outlook on the higher-than-normal forecasts for trade wind speed between July and September and sea surface temperature for August and September for the Caribbean and Tropical North Atlantic region.
Tropical Storm Risk's sponsors include the reinsurance broker Benfield Group, the insurer Royal & SunAlliance and claims assessor Crawford & Co.
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