Hurricane activity in the Atlantic basin is predicted to be above average this season, according to researchers from Colorado State University (CSU).

The forecast team predicts 15 named storms will form in the Atlantic from June 1 to November 30, with four developing into major hurricanes of Category 3 or above with wind speeds of 178kmh.

This is above the long-term average of 9.6 named storms and 2.3 major hurricanes.

The CSU team is predicting a 45% chance of a major hurricane making landfall on the US East Coast and 33% chance of landfall on the Gulf Coast.

“We have increased our seasonal forecast from the mid-point of our initial early December prediction due to a combination of anomalous warming of Atlantic tropical sea surface temperatures and a more confident view that the current El Nino will weaken.”

CSU has correctly predicted above or below average seasons in 45 of the past 58 years – a strike rate of 78%.