The National Weather Service predicts the 2008 season has a 90 percent chance of having an average or above average number of storms.
The weather service is calling for 12-16 named storms, including six to nine hurricanes and two to five major hurricanes this year.
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Carboni said one reason for the above-normal outlook is cool ocean temperatures in the Pacific, a condition known as La Niña.
&ldquoEverything is tied together across the globe,&rdquo Carboni said. &ldquoWhen we get those conditions in the Pacific, one of the side effects is it affects winds on the Atlantic side.&rdquo
Should a major storm strike the Teche Area, the Iberia Parish Office of Emergency Preparedness has a plan to deal with it.
Iberia Parish Emergency Preparedness Director Jim Anderson said his office would notify residents of potential storms at an early stage through local media.
&ldquoIf it starts developing into a full-scale hurricane and getting bigger, we&rsquoll start making recommended evacuations,&rdquo he said. &ldquoThe more people you get out ahead of time, the better off you are.&rdquo
Anderson said if a slow-moving Category 3, 4 or 5 storm approaches, the parish would likely order mandatory evacuations at least 40 hours before it makes landfall.
Anderson said the primary evacuation route would be west on U.S. 90, which eventually heads north as Interstate 49.
&ldquoWhat we try and do is move people north instead of west because if the hurricane is going down the Gulf, it could pass us and go to Lafayette,&rdquo Anderson said.
Anderson said the parish also has a plan to evacuate residents without transportation.
He said the parish has several pickup points where school buses will pick up residents, and their pets, as long as they are in pet carriers, and bring them to the SugArena.
From there, the parish has arranged for commercial buses to take evacuees to shelters in North Louisiana and other states.
Anderson said the parish also has plans to open local shelters for residents who failed to evacuate or waited too long to do so.
He said those residents would likely be sheltered in schools during the storm, and moved to community centers in the aftermath.
Anderson said the parish has also established a method for re-opening the parish following a storm.
He said some residents returned too quickly following Hurricane Rita, putting themselves in danger as flood waters continued to rise once winds had subsided.
&ldquoWe got everybody out safely, (but) they came back to soon,&rdquo Anderson said. &ldquoThey just didn&rsquot believe the surge. I don&rsquot think that&rsquoll happen again.&rdquo
Anderson said residents would be divided amongst three tiers, the first of which would include police, firefighters and other emergency responders.
The second tier would include employees of utility companies, public works and food, gas and banking outlets &mdash &ldquothings that we need to get back into the full swing of things,&rdquo Anderson said.
&ldquoOnce that&rsquos re-established, then we can bring everybody else back,&rdquo he said.
Although government has plans in the event of a storm, Anderson said residents should be prepared as well, particularly those in low-lying areas south of U.S. 90.
The state&rsquos theme for this year&rsquos hurricane season is &ldquoGet a Plan.&rdquo
&ldquoA personal plan is just as important as a parish plan,&rdquo he said. &ldquoIf the people themselves have plans, that&rsquos half the battle.&rdquo
Anderson said residents should make arrangements to stay with friends or relatives out of the path of the storm well in advance.
He said they should also make a checklist of important belongings to bring, including medication, flashlights, water and cash.
&ldquoFrom Katrina and Rita, people lost papers they can never replace,&rdquo Anderson said. &ldquoThey should safeguard stuff like that.&rdquo
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