Havana, June 2 (RHC-PL)-- June 1st marked the first day of the Atlantic and Caribbean hurricane season, which will run until November 30th.  

According to Miriam Teresita Llanes, head of the Weather Forecast Center of the Cuban Institute of Meteorology (INSMET), during the opening season, the formation of 10 tropical storms is expected.  Six of these storms are predicted to turn into hurricanes. 

Llanes said that seven tropical cyclones or storms are expected to develop over the Atlantic Ocean area, one in the Caribbean Sea and two in the Gulf of Mexico.  She told reporters: “This activity is considered normal as the average of cyclonic bodies in this region is around 12 annually.”

According to Llanes, the probability for at least one hurricane born in the area and intensifying in the Caribbean is low (20 percent).  However, the penetration of an cyclonic event from the Atlantic has a 60 percent possibility, she added. 
 
As for Cuba, she said that the island has just a 40 percent likelihood of facing a hurricane.  Despite the odds, is important to be prepared, said the meteorologist. 

There have been low activity hurricane seasons in which Cuba was affected by storms of great intensity, most recently in 2012 when devastating Hurricane Sandy battered the eastern end of Cuba.  Equally, there have been periods in which Cuba was not affected, as in 1995 -- a season in which 19 cyclonic bodies were formed, but not one affected Cuba.