A new hurricane model predicts that the U.S. will experience twohurricane landfalls—one on the East Coast and one along the GulfCoast—in 2013.

The model, Coastal Carolina University's Hurricane Genesis andOutlook, or HUGO, will also provide specific storm-surge andinundation data as a hurricane approaches, CCU's forecasting teamsays.

The model interprets current atmospheric and oceanic conditionsand compares them to past years with a similar mix ofstorm-influencing variables. It is the first forecast that narrowsdown how many hurricane formations in a season may actually hitland, CCU says, as opposed to how many may form.

The forecasting team says that six to nine hurricanes of atleast 74 mph wind speeds will form in 2013. So far this year, theAtlantic has spawned four tropical storms but no hurricanes.According to CCU atmospheric scientists, the East Coast averagesabout one hurricane biannually and the Gulf Coast typically seesone landfall per year.

Colorado State University, meanwhile, has updated itspredictions, calling for a total of 18 named storms in the AtlanticBasin between June 1 and November 30, including eight hurricanes,three of which may become major category 3 or above storms withwind speeds of at least 111 mph.

“While the tropical Atlantic remains warmer than normal, it hascooled somewhat in the eastern portion of the basin,” said PhilKlotzbach, of the CSU Tropical Meteorology Project “However, itappears that the chances of an El Niño event this summer and fallare unlikely. Typically, El Niño is associated with strongervertical shear across the tropical Atlantic, creating conditionsless conducive for storm formation.”

Earlier this summer, the team called for 18 named storms, ninehurricanes and four major hurricanes. This falls within the rangeprovided by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association for2013.

NOAA's Climate Prediction Center called for a 70 percentlikelihood of 13 to 20 named storms in the Atlantic, or anabove-average storm season. Seven to 11 may become hurricanes, withthree to six may developing into Category 3, 4, or 5hurricanes.