The news came at the National Hurricane Conference in the US held earlier this week.

Four major hurricanes are anticipated along with five milder ones and 14 storms.

Colorado State University scientist Dr. William Gray predicted this year's storms could match the 14 tropical storms and ten hurricanes which killed over ten thousand people last year.

"Cyclical changes making Atlantic waters warmer and saltier are behind the upswing in storm activity,'' Dr. Gray said. "The same conditions have not been seen since the late 1960s.'' Holding that damages from these storms will range in the $100 billion area, Gray called Florida a "sitting duck'' as he pointed to the increased populations in storm-prone regions.

At the Bermuda Weather Service, forecaster Ken Smith shed an optimistic light from a local standpoint: "Bermuda is such a small target it is unlikely that a storm would pass directly above us, or that we would have a direct hit.'' Mr. Smith added: "With increased storm activity in the area there is an increased chance of being hit and of a storm passing close enough to effect change on the island.'' Tropical storm and hurricane names selected for 1999 for the Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico and Caribbean are: Arlene, Bret, Cindy, Dennis, Emily, Floyd, Gert, Harvey, Irene, Jose, Katrina, Lenny, Maria,Nate, Ophelia, Philippe, Rita, Stan, Tammy, Vince and Wilma.

Emily is in the lineup again. It was Hurricane Emily that hit Bermuda hard back in 1987.

Hurricane season runs from June 1 to November 30.