Forecasters are predicting a 70 percent chance of between 11 and 17 tropical storms for the 2017 Atlantic hurricane season – 12 is average - which begins June 1, according to meteorologists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center. The season runs through November. "There is a potential for a lot of storm activity this year," said Ben Friedman, acting NOAA administrator. Five-to-nine storms could be hurricanes, including two-to-four major ones. The Atlantic season includes the Atlantic and Gulf coasts, Mexico and nations within the Caribbean Sea. A weak El Nino, which typically suppresses development of hurricanes, and warmer sea surfaces are factors in the prediction. (Source: Marine Link 05/26/17)