Quieter

As the Atlantic remains much quieter on the storm front than many expected just a few short months ago, respected hurricane forecasters William Gray and Philip Klotzbach of the Colorado State University (CSU) hurricane forecast team reduced their 2006 Atlantic hurricane season predictions Tuesday for the third time since late May. While the forecasters added one more hurricane to their September prediction, they decreased their overall storm prediction by two.

While natural gas futures were much quieter than they had been when the April contract expired Tuesday, the fact that the May contract on Wednesday was able to keep, and even build on, its gains “spoke volumes” when compared to the rest of the energy complex’s performance.

Hurricane guru William Gray of Colorado State University is predicting a relatively quiet tropical weather season in the Atlantic and Caribbean next year mainly because of a weak to moderate El Nino. Gray expects nine named storms. Five storms would become hurricanes and two of those would be major hurricanes.

Hurricane guru William Gray of Colorado State University ispredicting a relatively quiet tropical weather season in theAtlantic and Caribbean next year mainly because of a weak tomoderate El Nino. Gray expects nine named storms. Five storms wouldbecome hurricanes and two of those would be major hurricanes.