text:  On March 5 , 2003 , <unk> from the University College London at the Tropical Storm Risk ( <unk> ) <unk> issued an extended range forecast for the typhoon season , noting the likelihood of near average tropical cyclone activity as a result of projected neutral sea surface temperatures . The forecast indicated the potential for 26 @.@ 2 tropical storms , compared to the 10 – and 30 @-@ year average of 27 @.@ 8 and 26 @.@ 3 storms , respectively . The following month , the group raised their forecast for tropical storms to 26 @.@ 7 , indicating a slightly above average season . Over next two months , however , fluctuations in sea surface temperatures , particularly those in the Central Pacific , caused the group to revise their predictions downward and indicated the probability for a slightly below average typhoon season in their June forecast . A rise in sea surface temperatures in the following months prompted the forecasting group to once again raise their <unk> to indicate a near @-@ average season in their final August forecast update , which predicted 27 tropical storms . The group was very accurate in their <unk> , with their April and August <unk> being the most accurate . 
  