TAMPA, Fla. (AP) - Government forecasters expect between six and
nine hurricanes to form in the Atlantic this year.

They say two to five of those could be major hurricanes.

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration officials said
Thursday they expect the 2008 Atlantic hurricane season to be near
or above normal. They say there is a 60 to 70 percent chance of
their predictions happening.

In all, they predict 12 to 16 named storms in 2008.

An average season has 11 named storms, including six hurricanes
of which two reach major status.