NOAA sees more active hurricane season this year

[JoeyandDavid]

NOAA sees more active hurricane season this year

By Christopher Doering (Reuters) -

This year's hurricane season will be worse than expected with as many as 21 tropical storms and 11 hurricanes that could menace the U.S. Atlantic and Gulf coasts, government weather forecasters predicted Tuesday.

"Although we have already seen a record-setting seven tropical storms during June and July, much of the season's activity is still to come," said Gerry Bell, a National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)meteorologist.

"We're in a different hurricane era," he told reporters.

NOAA officials could not predict how many of the 2005 storms would hit the U.S. coast, or where and how significant the damage would be. But during an especially active season such as this one, an average of two to three hurricanes can be expected to strike the United States.

The Atlantic hurricane season, which ends on Nov. 30, typically peaks between August 1 and late October.

In May, NOAA predicted this hurricane season would be above normal, with up to 15 tropical storms and 9 hurricanes.

The new forecast, based on atmospheric conditions and warmer-than-usual ocean temperatures, would mean a tie for the record number of tropical storms. The most active season was 21 storms in 1933, according to NOAA.

The alphabet used by the National Hurricane Center to name storms includes 21 letters. If there are 22 storms, it would begin using the Greek alphabet, such as Hurricane Alpha.

The 2004 hurricane season was one of the most devastating recorded. The Atlantic Ocean churned out 15 tropical storms, nine of which turned into hurricanes, and caused billions of dollars in damage to the Caribbean and the United States.

David Johnson, director of NOAA's National Weather Service, said that while coastal communities are at highest risk, Americans living inland also need to be prepared for damaging storms. About half of all hurricane deaths and injuries occur from inland fresh water flooding, he said.

Tropical disturbances and storms typically form off the west coast of Africa, then move west toward the Caribbean and the United States as they strengthen.

Although NOAA declined to forecast where 2005 storms would hit, some private forecasters said the Carolinas may be a target.

Joe Bastardi, a meteorologist with AccuWeather, predicted most remaining storms this year will take a more easterly path than the June and July storms that entered the Gulf of Mexico.

"The most action will be from Aug. 15 to Oct. 15 along the Eastern Seaboard. I'm targeting the Carolinas for the worst," Bastardi said. "Also, there will be (landfalls) in New England and the Florida coast."

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[jbond]

And we sail into the Caribbean on August 14th. Oh well. I don't care as long as we get there.

[Tut]

We sail the end of September but nothing can put a damper on this cruise. We'll have a ball regardless of the weather.

[schatje]

Smooth sailing with sunny skies for all of our travelers :smiley:

[gogetter]

Hello,\

hey no problem.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,.,., :grin:

[jtutak]

Maybe that good news NOAA Usually is wrong

[GottaCruz]

Don't worry, Crazies. Those ships are great at dodging those hurricanes. We're all stocked up on toilet paper and food supplies. That's about all we get, aside from batteries for the flashlights. We really don't let it faze us until we're told to get the hurricane shutters up. Then we start filling up bottles with water and moving the outdoor stuff in. Other than that, nothing else you can do. Just hope for the best.

[jtutak]

Don't worry? I live Ocean front less then 10 miles from the spot Francis & Jeanne made landfall. Every time I hear one of these forecast I get the willies. Take a look at these photoshttp://www.oceana1.net/Frances/index.htm [url=http://www.oceana1.net/Jeanne/index.htm]http://www.oceana1.net/Jeanne/index.htm

[JoeyandDavid]

wow Jim, those pictures are something else! wow

[GottaCruz]

jtutak, I meant don't worry if you're cruising cause the ships know how to dodge the 'canes. I know the fear about living on the ocean. My mom 's condo is smack on the ocean in Hallandale.