The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has issued its 2010 hurricane season forecast, predicting one of the strongest seasons on record — and reiterating fears that the Gulf oil spill may be impacted by the severe weather. 

Hurricane season for the western Atlantic and the Gulf of Mexico begins June 1 and lasts through Nov. 30. That’s when about 90 percent of the storms make themselves present, and the predictions for this season are grim — which could wreak further havoc on the Gulf coast. NOAA predicts as many as 23 named storms during the Atlantic hurricane season, with 3 to 7 becoming serious enough to be classified as major hurricanes. Named storms come with top winds of 39 mph or higher. The agency worries that as many as 14 could turn into hurricanes, with winds in excess of 74 mph, and 3 to 7 could be category 3, 4, or 5 storms with winds of at least 111 mph.

For more: http://www.foxnews.com/scitech/2010/05/27/active-hurricane-seasons-record-year-say-scientists/