[blam]

Just heard on Fox News that forecasters expect more of this years hurricanes to hit the east coast.

[Bahbah]

From what I heard on the news, there were no deaths, thank God. Our Aussie friends are apparently more organized and better prepared than Chocolate City Nagin.

[the invisib1e hand]

...I wonder if they have "It's Bush's fault" billboards down under?

[Willie Green]

The first cyclone, named Larry,...
Another cyclone, called Wati, is currently

???
First "Larry" then "Wati"...
What kind of naming system are the Aussies following anyway?
It sure doesn't look like they're doing it in aphabetical order.

[capt. norm]

Hurricanes seem to be nature's way of clearing our beaches.

Here in the Florida panhandle, the Seaside community decided to leave their beaches alone and settle inland some distance in the lee of the dunes. In fact they have strict ordinances about leaving the dunes intact.

Hurricanes Elana and Kate in '85, Erin and Opal in '95 and a few near misses since have had almost no effect on them, while they had drastic effects on the rest of the area on both sides of them.

Meanwhile, in areas where you can't find the beach because it's hidden behind the condos, losses were huge.

[Strategerist]

The JTWC forecast track has Wati turning away from Australia, FWIW.

[JRios1968]

Another cyclone, called Wati, is currently about 2000 km (1250 miles) east of Queensland. This cyclone is intensifying, and the Bureau of Meteorology (BoM) expects it to hit Australia in a few days.

I'm ready...give me some Foster's!!