We may have already had two named storms -- Alberto, which formed on May 19 and Beryl on May 27 -- but the 2012 Atlantic Hurricane Season officially begins on Friday, June 1.
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration released its numbers and is forecasting a near normal season.
So what's that mean for our area?
It means that we'll see roughly nine to 15 named storms. Of those named storms, four to eight of them are predicted to reach hurricane status. One to three of them could be major hurricanes with winds of 111 miles-per-hour or higher.
Compare this to an average season of 12 named storms, six hurricanes and three major hurricanes.
Officially, the Atlantic Hurricane Season runs through November 30.
