Hurricane forecaster William Gray will wait until spring to predict how many storms will form in the Atlantic.
/ FILE
COLUMBIA (WACH, AP) -- Hurricane forecaster William Gray will wait until spring to predict how many storms will form in the Atlantic.
Gray and his research partner at Colorado State University, Philip Klotzbach, usually start making predictions in December but this month, for the first time in 20 years, they're holding off on forecasting the number of named storms, including hurricanes.
Klotzbach says they've tried various models but none have been successful in estimating the number of storms that early. He acknowledges that, currently, predicting hurricanes that far out is "just about as good as making a guess."
CSU will still issue a discussion of possible hurricane activity each December but the first estimate of the number of storms won't come until April.
The National Hurricane Center releases their prediction in early May.
As always, rely on the SkyWACH Weather Team when severe weather strikes.
Click here to see this season's hurricane names.
(The Associated Press contributed to this report.)
TV Station Profiles & Public Inspection Files forWACH