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The Atlantic Ocean could see another above-average hurricane season this year, with 11-17 big storms and as many as nine hurricanes, U.S. forecasters said on Thursday. The expected absence of El Nino, an ocean warming trend that tends to reduce the likelihood of hurricanes, is a major reason for the expected rise in the number of storms. Other factors include above-average sea surface temperatures and weaker vertical wind shear across the tropical Atlantic Ocean and Caribbean Sea. An average season produces 12 named storms of which six become hurricanes. "The outlook reflects our expectation of a weak or non-existent El...

WASHINGTON, Sept. 21, 2005 – In anticipation of the landfall of Hurricane Rita, nearly 2,000 National Guardsmen in Texas are on state active duty and the governor has authorized the activation of up to 5,000 of the more than 10,000 National Guardsmen currently available in the state, defense officials reported today. Additionally, Texas guardsmen serving in Louisiana are returning to Texas in anticipation of the storm as other units assume their Katrina missions, and the Air National Guard has relocated several of its aircraft from Houston to Austin as a precautionary measure. About 1,500 guardsmen already are on duty in...

The National Hurricane Center has now upgraded Hurricane Charley to a CATEGORY 3 storm with SUSTAINED winds of 125 MPH. The storm is moving NNE at 20 MPH, and the center of the storm should reach Charlotte Harbor (about 2 hrs. SOUTH of Tampa) late this afternoon. This is good news for Tampa, as the worst of the storm will be to the south of Tampa Bay. The CAT 3 storm will come ashore in the Naples and Ft. Myers areas late this afternoon.

Hurricane Isabel Advisory Number 48 Statement as of 11:00 PM EDT on September 17, 2003 ...Outer bands of Hurricane Isabel moving onshore...weather should gradually worsen... A Hurricane Warning remains in effect from Cape Fear North Carolina to Chincoteague Virginia...including Pamlico and Albemarle sounds...and the Chesapeake Bay south of Smith Point. A Hurricane Warning means that hurricane conditions are expected within the warning area...generally within 24 hours. All preparations to protect life and property should be rushed to completion in the Hurricane Warning area. A Tropical Storm Warning remains in effect south of Cape Fear to South Santee River South Carolina...and...