[LateNight]

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Forecasters: Fewer hurricanes for '07

MIAMI, Florida (AP) -- Government forecasters minimally reduced their prediction for the Atlantic hurricane season Thursday, saying up to nine hurricanes and up to 16 tropical storms are expected to form.


This season has been tame, but August typically marks the start of the most frenetic months of Atlantic weather.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration maintained its estimate that three to five of the hurricanes would be strong. The original report forecast up to 17 tropical storms, with up to 10 becoming hurricanes.

Federal forecasters' move Thursday follows that of Colorado State University hurricane researcher William Gray, who slightly lowered his forecast last week.

Gray's initial projection called for 17 named storms and nine hurricanes, five of them intense. He revised it to 15 named storms and eight hurricanes, four of them intense.

After the battering by storms Katrina and Rita in 2005 there were widespread fears last summer of another powerful storm striking, but the unexpected development of El Nino -- the periodic warming of Pacific Ocean waters that affects wind patters and tends to result in fewer Atlantic storms -- helped dampen conditions.