ALLIANZ PREDICTS ACTIVE HURRICANE SEASON

This year's hurricane season, which starts on June 1, will see between 14 and 21 tropical storms and six to 10 hurricanes, with between three and six major hurricanes, Allianz has predicted. The long-term average is only 14 named storms, seven hurricanes and three major hurricanes. Allianz predictions are based on its own experts’ projections combined with those of international hurricane forecasting institutes. Last month the hurricane forecasting teams at Colorado State University (CSU) and Tropical Storm Risk (TSR) also predicted an active hurricane season. The CSU team said the June-through-November season is likely to feature 19 named storms, with nine developing into hurricanes and four of those becoming major hurricanes of category three or stronger. The TSR forecast predicted 18 named storms, of which eight will become hurricane and four of those major hurricanes.