2009 Hurricane Season Forecast from NHC

[Jason Foster]

National Hurricane Center is releasing their 2009 Hurricane season forecast Press Conference in Washington, DC (Reagan-Washington National Airport) at 11am today. Also on hand will be the Hurricane Hunter Aircraft along with crew and NHC staff and director for interviews.

I will be there and will try to have photos and a blog update once there. May also stream the event live at either of the below URLs

www.ipr365.com
www.weatherwarrior.net/TV.html

Stream will be up sometime between 9:30am until 1pm or so, depending on security regulations. Should have plenty of coverage from their, but unfamiliar with security and media events.

[Dennis Dennison]

I posted this on 1-1-09
I predict 13 named storms and 6 making landfall of which 2 will be Cat 5, 1 Cat 4 and
2 Cat 3 levels storms. # will be East Coast of Florida, and the other 3 will come up into the Gulf.

[Jim Leonard]

I wouldn't expect a lot of action this year in the atlantic basin. We are going into a warm ENSO period this fall plus the sea level pressures are above average over the tropical atlantic. The suntropical jet is staying farther south so I would expect to see a typical El-nino type of hurricane season with most formations in higher latitudes above 20N.

[Mark Sudduth]

Yikes- hardly any tornadoes and now very few hurricanes seen? Wow. Perhaps there will be that "it only takes one" hurricane for us all to remember the season by.

[cdcollura]

2009 is a storm chaser's "cock tease".

So much hype = Jinxes ALL storm chase prospects (including hurricanes) ;-(

Hadd-a-be the Vortex II curse?

[Chris Hayes]

I wouldn't expect a lot of action this year in the atlantic basin. We are going into a warm ENSO period this fall plus the sea level pressures are above average over the tropical atlantic. The suntropical jet is staying farther south so I would expect to see a typical El-nino type of hurricane season with most formations in higher latitudes above 20N.

Not to mention sea surface temps are a bit below where they were at this time last year. 2009 = dud year for chasing tornadoes and hurricanes lol

[Jason Foster]

Yeah, this is a year that is not looking good. I am keeping my other profession active as there is little chance for any big action this year. While one storm (as Mark said) is all most of us really need, it'll be hard to get. If anyone has little flexibility, work commitment and limited financial resources, this isn't the season for you most likely.

After the press conference, in talking to some of the experts their, they aren't too impressed at the moment either. Of course many have to be prepared anyway, which is good, and a slow year might help many of the areas still recovering, get more assistance and faster.