The anticipated development of an El Niño weather pattern is expected to limit the number of named tropical storms and hurricanes forming in the Atlantic hurricane basin, according to private forecasters from AccuWeather. The company predicts 11 to 16 named storms this year, including four to seven hurricanes, and predicts two to four major hurricanes. It also predicts three to five direct impacts on the United States during the upcoming hurricane season, which begins on June 1 and continues through Nov.