Â鶹´«Ã½

The Americas can expect a similar battering from hurricanes in 1999 as they
experienced in 1998, predicts oceanographer William Gray of Colorado State
University. He expects changes in ocean circulation, stratospheric winds and
currents in the central Pacific to push the number of tropical storms up to 14,
the same as this year. Nine will reach hurricane strength, Gray predicts. These
figures are twice the long-term average.