By the end of August in 2005, an extraordinary seven tropical storms and five hurricanes (Cindy, Dennis, Emily, Irene, and Katrina) already had formed in the Atlantic Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico. Claims recently spoke with Dr. Steve Smith to get an update on the 2006 hurricane season predictions made earlier this year.

This year's tropical storm and hurricane activity has not been as active as many weather experts anticipated. Why is this shaping up to be what you call an "average" hurricane season?

The water temperature in the Atlantic is, for the most part, above the threshold where hurricanes can form. However, temperatures are not significantly warmer than the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's 1970-2000 average. Some areas of the Atlantic are warmer, but other parts — especially in the mid-tropical Atlantic — are cooler than average. This is in contrast to 2005 when the temperature across most of the Atlantic basin was significantly warmer than average.