Claims News Service, Nov. 28, 1:19 p.m. EST -- With the 2007 hurricane season coming to a close this Friday, Nov. 30, storm forecasters at the Department of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University are admitting that, for the most part, their predictions failed to reflect actual events.

"Our 2007 seasonal hurricane forecast was not particularly successful," said Philip J. Klotzbach and William M. Gray, who authored several hurricane prediction reports and updates throughout the year. "We anticipated an above-average season, and the season had activity at approximately average levels."

In their pre-season prediction report for the 2007 season -- made on Apr. 3 -- the pair predicted that there would be 17 named storms, nine hurricanes, and five "intense" hurricanes (those that reach Category 3-status on the Saffir-Simpson scale). They affirmed those numbers on May 31, 2007, the day before the hurricane season began.