Hurricane season!
It's hurricane season, again. And once again it is time for dire warnings.
Private and university forecasters have predicted the 2007 season will be especially active, producing up to 17 tropical storms and hurricanes and a "well above average" possibility of at least one striking the U.S.
Hmmm, just like last year, eh?
On May 22, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its “2006 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook,” forecasting an “80 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season, a 15 percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 5 percent chance of a below-normal season.” NOAA called for “a very active 2006 season, with 13-16 named storms, 8-10 hurricanes, and 4-6 major hurricanes.”
The experts were of coure dismal in the accuracy of their predictions.
NOAA has yet to issue its final seasonal summary for 2006, but one thing is clear - NOAA’s predictions for the 2006 hurricane season were way off. During the 2006 hurricane season there were only nine named-storms, five hurricanes, and two major hurricanes - none of which hit the U.S.
According to NOAA’s own classification system, these numbers classify 2006 as a “below-normal” hurricane season - something NOAA gave only a 5 percent chance of happening.
Just who are these "forecasters" and why haven't they obtained new crystal balls yet?
Private and university forecasters have predicted the 2007 season will be especially active, producing up to 17 tropical storms and hurricanes and a "well above average" possibility of at least one striking the U.S.
Hmmm, just like last year, eh?
On May 22, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) issued its “2006 Atlantic Hurricane Outlook,” forecasting an “80 percent chance of an above-normal hurricane season, a 15 percent chance of a near-normal season, and only a 5 percent chance of a below-normal season.” NOAA called for “a very active 2006 season, with 13-16 named storms, 8-10 hurricanes, and 4-6 major hurricanes.”
The experts were of coure dismal in the accuracy of their predictions.
NOAA has yet to issue its final seasonal summary for 2006, but one thing is clear - NOAA’s predictions for the 2006 hurricane season were way off. During the 2006 hurricane season there were only nine named-storms, five hurricanes, and two major hurricanes - none of which hit the U.S.
According to NOAA’s own classification system, these numbers classify 2006 as a “below-normal” hurricane season - something NOAA gave only a 5 percent chance of happening.
Just who are these "forecasters" and why haven't they obtained new crystal balls yet?