The El Nino which is now well defined in the Eastern Pacific is turning out to be a strong one, and a report released last week by NOAA available at
http://www.noaanews.noaa.gov/stories2006/s2753.htm says that the current El Nino conditions could develop even further (further warming of the EPAC waters) and persist for a longer period than first thought. If this occurs, then it will have an impact on the 2007 Hurricane Season. Previously, strong El Nino conditions have suppressed the development of storms in the Atlantic/Gulf/Caribbean.