Seasonal Forecasts
| Source | Date | Named storms |
Hurricanes | Major hurricanes |
| CSU | Average (1950–2000) | 9.6 | 5.9 | 2.3 |
| NOAA | Average (1950–2005) | 11.0 | 6.2 | 2.7 |
| Record high activity | 28 | 15 | 8 | |
| Record low activity | 4 | 2 | 0 | |
| –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– | ||||
| CSU | December 7, 2007 | 13 | 7 | 3 |
| CSU | April 9, 2008 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| NOAA | May 22, 2008 | 12–16 | 6–9 | 2–5 |
| CSU | June 3, 2008 | 15 | 8 | 4 |
| UKMO | June 18, 2008 | 15* | N/A | N/A |
| CSU | August 5, 2008 | 17 | 9 | 5 |
| NOAA | August 7, 2008 | 14-18 | 7-10 | 3-6 |
| Actual activity | 16 | 8 | 5 | |
| –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– | ||||
| * July–November only: 15 storms observed in this period. | ||||
Forecasts of hurricane activity are issued before each hurricane season by noted hurricane experts Dr. Philip J. Klotzbach, Dr. William M. Gray, and their associates at Colorado State University; and separately by NOAA forecasters.
Dr. Klotzbach's team (formerly led by Dr. Gray) defined the average number of storms per season (1950 to 2000) as 9.6 tropical storms, 5.9 hurricanes, and 2.3 major hurricanes (storms reaching at least Category 3 strength in the Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale). A normal season, as defined by NOAA, has 9 to 12 named storms, with 5 to 7 of those reaching hurricane strength, and 1 to 3 major hurricanes.
Read more about this topic: 2008 Atlantic Hurricane Season