On May 16, 2008, the Servicio Meteorológico Nacional posted their outlook for the 2008 Pacific hurricane season, forecasting 15 named storms, 7 hurricanes, and 2 major hurricanes. Three days later, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Central Pacific Hurricane Center released their forecast for the central Pacific, predicting three or four tropical cyclones to form or cross into the basin; an average season sees four or five tropical cyclones, of which two further intensify into hurricanes. On May 22, meanwhile, the Climate Prediction Center released their outlook, forecasting a 70 percent probability of a below-average year, a 25 percent chance of a near-average year, and only a 5 percent chance of an above-average year. The organization predicted 11–16 named storms, 5–8 hurricanes, 1–3 major hurricanes, and an Accumulated Cyclone Energy (ACE) index 40–100 percent of the long-term median. All three groups cited the effects of the ongoing La Niña, as well as the continuation of a multi-decadal decline in Pacific hurricane activity, as their reasoning behind the below-average forecasts.