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Never, in the 20-plus years it had been issuing outlooks, had the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration predicted so many tropical storms to develop in the Atlantic hurricane basin, with conditions across thousands of miles of ocean aligned perfectly. “That’s the highest forecast that we’ve had,” Ken Graham, National Hurricane Center director, announced at the annual preseason media briefing in May. NOAA seconded the motion in its Aug. 7 update with a warning that the 2024 season “could rank among the busiest on record.” Every other major forecasting service was on board.

Forecasters in Los Angeles said Monday that “virtually all” of the city’s daily rainfall records have been broken as the storm Hilary, now a post-tropical cyclone, hit Southern California on Sunday, bringing historic rainfall, flooding and mudslides to the area. The National Weather Service (NWS) of Los Angeles said totals for Hilary have broken “virtually all rainfall daily records,” as of 3 a.m. Monday, according to a post on X, formerly known as Twitter. The local NWS said 7.04 inches of rain fell in Lewis Ranch over a two-day period, while Lake Palmdale had 5.98 inches and the University of...

MIAMI (AFP) – Last year's record hurricane season will be followed by another unusually busy one, with 16 named storms expected this year, US weather forecasters predicted on Wednesday. Forecasters at Colorado State University are predicting that nine of the named storms that form in the Atlantic will develop into hurricanes. "We expect that anomalously warm tropical Atlantic sea surface temperatures combined with neutral tropical Pacific sea surface temperatures will contribute to an active season," said Phil Klotzbach of CSU's Tropical Meteorology Project. Weather-watchers at CSU said the unusually busy hurricane activity expected this year, like last year's record storm...

FORT LAUDERDALE, Florida (Reuters) – The threat of an above-average 2010 Atlantic hurricane season has increased over the last month and it now promises to be "very active," two leading U.S. forecasters said on Wednesday. William Gray and Phil Klozbach, who head the respected Colorado State University hurricane forecast team, said they would ramp up their prediction for the 2010 season in a report due out on June 2.

BRUSSELS (Reuters) - The European Union has found new partners in its campaign against global warming: weather forecasters. The European Commission gathered about 50 meteorologists and television weather presenters on Friday and encouraged them to spread the word about how the public can curb climate change. "The idea is very good," said Michael Fish, a former meteorologist at the BBC and now a freelance. "You need professional broadcasters who have the gift of the gab and are also well-known and respected... to give the message, and not a boring unknown politician." The executive Commission wants the forecasters to form a...

WE HAVE all fantasised about it from time to time — when caught in a freak gale or rainstorm — but Yuri Luzhkov, the Mayor of Moscow, has finally done it. Put simply, he is punishing weather forecasters who get it wrong.Mr Luzhkov told a weekly meeting of the city government that the Moscow Weather Bureau would receive no more funding until it agreed to allow the city to fine it for inaccurate forecasts. “We are paying and would like to receive a quality product. Instead of that, you are giving us bulls***,” he said. Mr Luzhkov is known for...