Posted on 05/15/2006 9:54:48 AM PDT by NormsRevenge
NEW YORK (Reuters) - Three major hurricanes will strike the United States this year, with the storm-battered Gulf Coast most at risk in June and July, forecaster AccuWeather predicted Monday.
The outlook comes after a record-setting hurricane season in 2005 that devastated New Orleans and other coastal cities along the Gulf, and dealt a heavy blow to the U.S. oil industry that sent energy prices to record highs.
"The 2006 storm season will be a creeping threat," said AccuWeather Chief Forecaster Joe Bastardi. He projected that five hurricanes, three of them with winds over 110 miles per hour, would hit the U.S. coastline.
"Early in the season the Texas Gulf Coast faces the highest likelihood of a hurricane strike, possibly putting Gulf energy production in the line of fire," he said. "As early as July, and through much of the rest of the season, the highest level of risk shifts to the Carolinas."
At the tail-end of the season, the Northeast and southern Florida will be most at risk from storms, he said.
This year feature fewer named storms than last year's record of 28, but will still be a season of above-average storm frequency, AccuWeather said in the press release.
Last year, there were eight tropical storm landfalls in the U.S., including two separate strikes by Katrina as the storm crossed the Florida peninsula and then plowed into the central Gulf Coast in late August. Four of these were major hurricanes - with winds over 110 mph: Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma.
Hurricane Katrina was the costliest storm on record, causing more than $80 billion in damage.
Thanks for the ping, Howlin.
I like this part: with the storm-battered Gulf Coast most at risk in June and July,...
My 3 months on South Padre doesn't begin until July 30th. Works for me!
These locusts you speak of...they are ogranic locusts...correct?
I agree. They keep trying to make the names sound "international" and P.C.
Why aren't there any African-American hurricane names?
I guess I'm just upset because there has never been a hurricane named "Roadrunner" or "Scooby".
I meant to say "organic" - not "ogranic"
I remember Agnes. We didn't have FEMA back then. However did we manage?
If you end up not needing it yourself, there will be many who would gladly rent it from you.
I've been through many a hurricane and lack of electricity is one of the worst results because it lingers, destroys the food in your fridge, and you can't get online and lurk on FreeRepublic.com.
Wierd note: the last hurricane that hit here took out our electricity for 5 days, but our cable/broadband internet connection was back up within hours after the storm hit.
*Underground fiber-optic is way cool.
That's because I was at WALA-TV Channel 10 in Mobile at the time and we took 140 mph winds at Azalea International Airport until ther anemometer was destrpyed.
Like I said in my post, I only speak of hurricanes of which I have direct knowledge/contact. Ivan and Dennis just didn't get close enough to me to make me think I had direct knowledge. It just isn't the same watching them on radar and satellite...I may has well have been in Bismarck North Dakota.
I am referring to real, in your face, experience and the storms I listed are the only ones about which I can make that claim.
And a weather man here says a tropical wave is already on its way. It will pass south of us, he says.
I'm headed to Nicaragua...
Their Flor De Caña rum is not too good. But of course, I'm partial to Puerto Rican rum. Have fun.
I get ya on the direct experience.
Good suggestion, power is good.
Here in Panama City we were evacuated (twice) for Agnes due to faulty Weather Service radar.
The radar in use was the Apalachicola an old tube model radar, Long since decommissioned. It wasn't until Tyndall AFB was allowed to release their radar data that it was realized the storm had gone inland and was "raising cane" from Tallahassee northward.
Agnes will remembered for the huge floods it caused in inland areas after it left the coast with little damage. It hit a lot of people in mountainous areas where people would little suspect a hurricane could affect them.
MSM moment: A reporter from the Atlanta Constitution came to report on the hurricane in the early stages. He got really scared and took off after filing a report that became the paper's headlines the next morning announcing that Panama City Beach had been wiped out by the storm.
It didn't do jack to Panama City Beach and the business owners quickly organized to file a lawsuit against the paper. It was not one of the AJC's more stellar moments
"Here in Panama City"
Thanks for the memories. I did a lot of time up in Fort Rucker. We drove down to PCB almost every weekend to decompress.
The tough part came the next night when heavy rains loosened the soil around huge trees that had already been nearly toppled by the hurricane force wind, and over they went, taking out electricity over a huge portion of Mobile. We were running emergency ads for Delchamps and Foodtown for people to come and get meat and frozen food that would otherwise have to be destroyed due to lack of refrigeration.
I was super lucky. I was living at the Chateau Rouge Apartments (near Springhill Ave. and Catherine St.) and that put me across the street from Providence Hospital. They were on the highest priority for power restoration and I guess we were on the same leg.
Thanks for the tip. I've never been there before, but I like adventures. I'll get to meet some Contras and some Sandinistas.
Of course, my spanish sucks. Mostly I'll be asking them where the bathroom is or where to turn in my towel. A sophisticated political discussion will not occur. ;-)
Hurricane Preparedness ( and general "bad times" links )
various FR links & stories | 10-23-05 | the heavy equipment guy
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1507830/posts
At that time I was the weather-caster on channel 7 (and later 13) but you don't come here from Ft. Rucker to watch TV, so I doubt you would remember that.
I only mentioned the "Honda" because their ads are all over the radio right now. They probably have found a nice niche market for their product.
Every time a hurricane knocks out the electricity for any length of time, the talk quickly turns to generators and everyone says "never again". I think they are an excellent investment.
During the last hurricane to knock out our power we had a major neighborhood barbecue, gathering all the "spoilables" and had a big feast. This year, more than half of my neighbors now have generators.
I was made aware of the artful doublespeak by newsmen recently. It is truely and art form.
For instance:
Possibly 3 or more ('possibly 3' - could be less but if not it will be more) hurricanes or sever tropical depressions (maybe not 'hurricanes') may hit the gulf coast if current trends are any predictor. The east coast from Miami through New England may also be impacted by a possible increase in hurrican activity this year. blah, blah, blah,....and these jokers get paid in the high six figures for this????
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