Forecasters see higher risk for hurricanes in 2010

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FORT COLLINS, Colo. — Hurricane forecasters say cooler ocean temperatures in the Pacific and warmer temperatures in the Atlantic increases the risk for the East Coast to be slammed by a hurricane this season.

Colorado State University researchers Wednesday updated their Atlantic hurricane season forecast, saying there’s a 45 percent chance of a hurricane hitting the East Coast, including Florida. The historical probably is 31 percent.

Philip Klotzbach and William Gray’s refined forecast first issued in December predicts 15 names storms, with four of them developing into major hurricanes with sustained winds of 111 mph.

Nine named storms developed last season. Three became hurricanes, and none came ashore in the U.S.