Bermudians are being warned to expect a busy hurricane season this year, with as many as 23 named storms in the Atlantic.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the top climate agency in the US, has predicted there will be between 14 and 23 named storms this year, with between eight and 14 hurricanes.

Between three and seven of the storms could reach Category Three or above, with winds reaching 177 kilometres per hour. If the predictions are accurate, this would make 2010 the most active hurricane season since 2005.

Tony Knap, President of Bermuda Institute of Ocean Sciences (BIOS), said there were signs, such as warmer sea temperatures and low levels of dust, which hinted at more intense storms ahead.

"Predictions are very difficult at this time", he said. "But if we look at statistics from the data book we have compiled over the past 150 years, there is a fair chance the hurricane season will be more active than average for intense storms."

Mr. Knap believes a hurricane in the Gulf of Mexico would be "horrible right now" while the United States is trying to clear up BP's gushing oil well.

"A hurricane would just pile the oil into the coastal areas dramatically and because oil is lighter than water, some of the oil will become airborne," he said.

According to the Bermuda Weather Service, weak winds in the upper atmosphere, combined with warm waters, could lead to a very active hurricane season.

A spokesman said: "We're seeing warmer than usual waters, particularly around Cape Verde and that area, which is where a lot of these storms develop.

"We're also seeing a weakening of El Nino. It's a Pacific system, but it causes strong winds in the upper atmosphere, which disrupts developing storm systems. Tropical weather works in a cycle. At the moment, we're in an active era."

Even if predictions prove to be inaccurate, the spokesman stressed that Bermudians must be prepared for the hurricane season.

"It could be the least active season in history," the spokesman said. "We could have one hurricane, but it could be another Fabian and it could be devastating. The thing that the people of Bermuda need to know is that we always need to be prepared."

The hurricane season starts on June 1, and continues through November.