NOAA Releases Hurricane Predictions

NOAA relased their annual predictions regarding the upcoming Atlantic Hurricane season, which runs June 1st to November 30th.  They are predicting 9-15 names storms, of which 4-8 will become hurricanes.  They expect 1-3 of those hurricanes to become major hurricanes, which requires a status of Category 3 or higher.  Here are predictions from different people and places for the upcoming hurricane season.

Predictions of tropical activity in the 2012 season

Source	Date	Named storms	Hurricanes	Major hurricanes
Average (1950–2000)[1]		9.6	5.9	2.3
Record high activity		28	15	8
Record low activity		4	2	0†
–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––
TSR	December 7, 2011[2]	14	7	3
WSI	December 21, 2011[3]	12	7	3
CSU	April 4, 2012[4]	10	4	2
TSR	April 12, 2012	13	6	3
TWC	April 24, 2012	11	6	2
UKMO	May 24, 2012[5]	10*	N/A	N/A
NOAA	May 24, 2012	9-15	4-8	1-3
TSR	May 24, 2012	13	6	3

Source: Wikipedia

Some are on there twice as they have made revisions throughout the last few months.
Hurricanes are classified on the Saffir-Simpson scale:
                
                   wind (mph)
Category 1:   74-95
Category 2:   96-110
Category 3:   111-129
Category 4:   130-156
Category 5:   >= 157

The season hasn't officially began yet but there has already been one named storm: Alberto.