The 2008 Hurricane Season is rapidly approaching! Forecasters and emergency managers  are warning the conditions may be setting up to make this another busy season.

The National Hurricane Center's new boss has a warning.  Don't be complacent by the perception that last year was a quiet one. Bill Read the Director of the Tropical Prediction Center says "last year, you have to remember, we had 15 named storms.  We had 2 Category Five's. It wasn't a complete dud year. It's just that it didn't make headlines in the U.S."

Bill Read knows this year could be very different and noted Colorado State forecaster William Gray is considering raising his predictions.  In his last outlook, William Gray called  for seven Atlantic hurricanes, three of them major, during the 2008 season.  Gray's team at Colorado State University issued the prediction six months before the June-November season begins.  The preliminary forecast calls for a total of 13 named storms  in the Atlantic. It also says it is probable that at least one major hurricane will hit the U.S. coastline. Gray called for 13 named storms but says cool waters in the Pacific called La Nina can enhance hurricane conditions and points out warm waters off of Africa are similar to what they were before the historic 2005 season.  The predictions are not always on the mark. Gray initially forecast nine hurricanes for the 2007 Atlantic hurricane season, and later lowered that prediction to eight. Only six hurricanes formed.

Still, the new hurricane center director doesn't put much stock in long term forecasting, knowing the science isn't exact.  Bill Read says "it doesn't really matter the forecast we're giving you for the season"  the reality is it only takes one storm to take lives and change a community forever. The Hurricane Center is urging everyone in hurricane-prone areas start thinking about preparations before the season starts.