April 20 (Reuters) - U.S. private weather forecaster WSI Corp reduced its forecast for the 2009 Atlantic hurricane season on Monday, calling for 11 tropical storms, including six hurricanes. In December, WSI had predicted the season would bring 13 storms and seven would grow to hurricane strength. The company said it was reducing its forecast due to cooler Atlantic water and a fading La Nina event in the eastern Pacific. [ID:nN20538684] Most forecasters are predicting the Atlantic hurricane season, which begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30, will be less active than last year. The following are the latest predictions for 2009: --------------------------------------------------------------Tropical Storms Hurricanes Major Hurricanes -------------------------------------------------------------- CSU 12 6 2 TSR 15 7.8 3.6 AccuWeather 13 8 2 WRC 7 4 -- WSI 11 6 2 NOAA -- -- -- UK Met -- -- -- -------------------------------------------------------------- NOAA (U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration) will issue a preseason forecast on May 21. CSU (Colorado State University team led by William Gray and Philip Klotzbach) forecast issued April 7. Updates due June 2, Aug. 4, Sept. 2, Oct. 1. TSR (London-based Tropical Storm Risk) forecast issued April 6. Updates due June 4, July 6, Aug. 4. WSI Corp, based in Andover, Massachusetts, issued forecast on April 20. Updates due on May 25, June 22, July 20, Aug. 24. AccuWeather forecast issued March 18. WRC (Houston-based Weather Research Center) forecast issued April 6. The UK Met Office will issue a forecast in June. (Reporting by Jim Loney; Editing by Lisa Shumaker)
A Palestinian wheels a cart loaded with bottles filled with water from a public tap in Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip April 20, 2009. Israelis have access to more ...
