NOAA Forecasts Above Average Hurricane Season | Hurricane Season, Forecast & Names

This year's hurricane season is expected to be an active one. On the heels of an already violent tornado season and other wild April weather, the 2011 hurricane season may see 12 to 18 named storms and six to 10 hurricanes, an above-average season.

That's the forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), released May 19 2011 for the Atlantic basin, which includes the East Coast, the Caribbean Sea and the Gulf of Mexico. If the forecast is anything like last year's, it should be taken very seriously. Atlantic hurricane season begins June 1 and ends Nov. 30.

This year's storm names are:
•Arlene (ar-LEEN)
•Bret (bret)
•Cindy (SIN-dee)
•Don (dahn)
•Emily (EH-mih-lee)
•Franklin (FRANK-lin)
•Gert (gert)
•Harvey (HAR-vee)
•Irene (eye-REEN)
•Jose (ho-ZAY)
•Katia (ka-TEE-ah)
•Lee (lee)
•Maria (muh-REE-uh)
•Nate (nait)
•Ophelia (o-FEEL-ya)
•Philippe (fee-LEEP)
•Rina (REE-nuh)
•Sean (shawn)
•Tammy (TAM-ee)
•Vince (vinss)
•Whitney (WHIT-nee)

Source: LiveScience