Following a busy 2014 season that saw three hurricanes form in the Central Pacific, weather forecasters Tuesday predicted a slight uptick in activity with five to eight “tropical cyclones” expected this season.

Last year, forecasters predicted four to seven tropical cyclones. Three hurricanes — Julio, Iselle and Anna — threatened the islands before breaking apart.

Even though Iselle was down-graded to a tropical storm when it hit Hawaii island, it still damaged 250 Big Island homes and destroyed 11 of them.

In an El Nino year, August should see the most tropical cyclone activity.

Since 1970, 78 tropical cyclones have formed in the Central Pacific in August, compared to 46 in July and 38 in September, said Tom Evans, acting director of the Central Pacific Hurricane Center.

Gov. David Ige on Tuesday proclaimed May 24-30 hurricane preparedness week to encourage residents to stock up on supplies and make homes and other buildings hurricane resistant.

“The best we can do as a community is to be prepared,” Ige said. “We can never be over-prepared.”