Forecaster calls for 2 more hurricanes in October and November

FORT COLLINS, Colo. (AP) — Hurricane expert William Gray says there will be four named storms in October and November. He says two of them will be hurricanes, and one of them major.

That's a reduction from his previous forecast. Gray's team at Colorado State University had predicted five named storms in their earlier forecast for the two months.

In April, Gray had predicted a very active 2007 season, with 17 named storms, including nine hurricanes, with five of them major hurricanes.

As of Oct. 1, a total of 13 named storms had developed, including four hurricanes. Two of the hurricanes were major.

Eight named storms formed in September in the Atlantic basin, tying a record set in 2002 for the most in that month.

Gray's team revises the forecast throughout the hurricane season, which lasts from June through November.

(Copyright 2007 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)