The day has come that every meteorologist lives for. Accuweather has finally issued its yearly 2009 hurricane forecast. Now it gives us something to talk about until the end of hurricane season.

This years’ forecast looks strikingly similar to last years’. Joe Bastardi, Accuweather’s leading hurricane expert, predicted an increase of tropical storm presence from the Carolinas to New England. He was correct in that count - Hurricane Hanna and TS Cristobal.

I think it’s pretty funny that they say “probably more random activity” for the East Coast. Could you get any less specific?

He also predicted a normal year for the Gulf of Mexico. Texas seemed to be the punching bag for Mother Nature last year with three hurricane landfalls. Hurricanes Edouard, Dolly, and Ike (with Gustav in the neighborhood) did extreme damage to the Texas coast. I think he was a little off there.

Bastardi does know his stuff though. In 2007, he was found to have the most accurate hurricane forecast.

This year he is forecasting thirteen tropical storms to form, four hurricanes hitting the US, and one hitting the US as a major hurricane. This is a considerably less than previous years.

Stay tuned for the official 4cast4you Hurricane Forecast! Coming soon!