Will there be more named storms in the Atlantic or the Pacific?

A named storm is a hurricane or tropical storm.

So far, it's 3:0 Pacific!

Just to clarify: this market refers to only eastern Pacific storms and not both eastern and western Pacific storms, correct?

right. We are only referring to eastern Pacific storms.

with Dolores we are up to E Pacific 4:Atlantic 0
looks like Pacific will be a winner by a wide margin...

The east Pacific normally wins anyway, so it's not a surprise. The east Pacific hurricane season tends to both start and peak earlier than the north Atlantic, so there's always a chance at catching up, but that's not likely; the east Pacific has an average of 16.3 named storms each year as opposed to the north Atlantic's 10.6.

yeah, I read that too, but you should not give away all the secrets!

Just doin' my part... ;-)

Well, that makes the score 6 : 0 Pacific. Atlantic has a lot of catching up to do!

The guys at Colorado State University released their updated 2009 Atlantic season forecast today (http://typhoon.atmos.colostate.edu/forecasts/2009/aug2009/aug2009.pdf), in which they still call for 10 named storms and 4 hurricanes (with two of those Category 3 or stronger). That's fewer than their June forecast, which itself called for fewer than their April forecast did. The El Niño is doing its thing, and is expected to get even stronger in September, so even that 10 may be a stretch. (By comparsion, remember that since the start of the recent active hurricane period in 1995, there's been an average 15 named storms, 8 hurricanes, and 4 intense hurricanes per year.)

Has anyone ever wondered how on earth a university in Colorado has become the hurricane forecasting center of the universe? Sure seems like an odd place to research hurricanes. I wonder how much snow storm forecasting research they do at Florida State University??? ;-)

Good point, froggy. In any case, I have never been convinced that these forecasts are any more accurate than a monkey trowing darts at random numbers. Which is why it probably doesn't matter that there are precious few hurricanes in Colorado :-)

Pacific 7-3 after Guillermo and Claudette.

Pacific 9, atlantic 3 with Ignacio & Claudette.

Current tally: Pacific 10 : Atlantic 4 and it looks like Pacific may pick up one more soon. Atlantic remains quiet as Danny dissipates.

Here we go, Pacific 11: Atlantic 4....

With wimpy Erica, we are 11:5 in favor of Pacific

Linda and Fred make it 12 : 6. Pacific still up by five.....

My namesake Marty made it 13:6. Forgive my math in the previous post.
E Pacific is up by 7...

Well, Nora makes it 14 to 6, Pacific now leads by 8....
Atlantic could still close the gap with a late surge, but it is getting late.

OK, Grace makes it 14 : 7. Pacific still up by 7, but there is another strong wave with potential for development...

You missed Olaf. The score is 15-7 Pacific.

So I did. Apologies - these pesky little storms are hard to keep up when you have a day job...
So it is indeed 15-7, but it looks like it is about to become 15 : 8. That would get things back to Pacific by a converted touchdown.

Henri has formed. 15-8.

OK, Patricia gets us to 16 : 8. E Pacific back on top by 8.
It should be mentioned, however, that the Atlantic season is longer and it is not too unusual to have storms forming in November or even December, so this one is not over yet!

TD 20-E has just formed off the coast of Mexico.....

OK, happy birthday, Rick
that makes the score 17 to 8, EP by 9!

Ida makes it EP 17-9