Did the 2004 Atlantic Hurricane Season exceed predictions?
610425
True. Nobody predicted such an extreme sesason. However, all predictions indicted it would be a VERY big season.
123307
When you put the "on record" in there, it limits the field a lot. Prior to record keeping this century, there were many horrible storms that killed 10's of thousands. The problem is that we do not know if they died because of lack of warning and quality structures, or a very bad storm.\n\nTo my knowledge, the worst hurricane on record was Hurricane Katrina this past year. The air pressure recorded at the center of the storm was lower than any other recorded, beating out Hurricane Chamile in 1969.  Oddly enough, these two hurricanes made landfall within miles of each other on the Mississippi Gulf Coast.\n\nAs for the stats for Katrina, I was hiding in my house, so I was not outside taking measurements. I heard, though, that inland where I am, about 140 miles from the coast, winds got up to over 80 miles an hour. I was driving home from work a couple of hours before the storm came through my neighborhood, and was already dodging debris on the road.
1071883
it already has had a major effect.  it caused all the hurricanes last summer to be so bad and killed thousands of people in the gulf coast region... i would say that is a major effect on people.
872937
Erm...well, Instead of saying immediate effects, you could say Primary effects. Sounds more professional :P\nHurricanes tear buildings apart blah blah.\n\nThey can be predicted with signs of violent winds, killer waves, torrential rains and flash flooding.\nIt's usually predicted for a hurricane 'season'\nThe specialists could look at the weather from the satelites in space with the amount of movement in the wind, and the weather. [I think]\n\nI know the hurricanes are born over water and when it reaches land, it starts to loose power.
692802
Yes.  Check out the expert's forecast below...
142329
Yes I think it will be worse. Mostly because we haven't really had a cold winter so the ocean hasn't cooled as much as it normally would and with the ocean being a bit warmer it's a breeding ground for stronger hurricanes and bad weather.
78197
Anytime you ask statistical question such as this, you need data to figure out any kind of estimate.  One of the problems with any type of weather forecasting this far into the future is that there is not enough data to calculate, and hence, predict what will happen on a particular day in a particular area far months into the future.  \n\nAccording to the National Weather Service webpage for your area: "Hurricanes are products of an interaction between both the ocean and the atmosphere.  Fueled by energy from the warm ocean waters, they can be steered by the easterly trade winds, as well as the temperate westerlies.  Some hurricanes, especially strong ones, are even able to alter the environment that steers them.  This is a major reason why it can sometimes be very difficult to predict where a particular hurricane will track."\n\nUnfortunately, you are going to have to wait until Labor Day Weekend, 2006 to get your answer, but you can contact the Tampa Bay Weather Service Office if you would like to talk to a professional.
1072776
One thing is sure...\nThere are too many incidents and events and facts around that just makes it impossible to avoid the issue.\n\nWinters are shorter, summers are hotter and the increase does not need the help of scientific expertise... Just in the last 5yrs was enough to witness major weather modifications.\n\nThink of the number of Hurricanes just in Florida, the Eeastern  the Golf Coast states of the USA\n\nThe increase in Tornadoes...\nThe villages being moved away from shores in Alaska and some places in Canada.\nGaciers that used to melt at a rate of a couple of feet a year are now melting in terms of Kilometers and miles away PER YEAR.\n\n---\n\nBeing realist is not being doomsday... At least by addressing the issues we are feeling we are part of the game and can do something about it and we can even laugh through the process.
1044256
In our area we had a lot of wind damage & rain. Trees were knocked down & the power was out for about a day. Overall it wasn't as bad as we thought it would be.\n\nI remember getting in the car & riding around afterwards to see the damage. We took the video camera out & recorded it all. I guess we were bored.\n\nNC/SC has been lucky lately. We haven't had a really bad hurricane in a long time. The worst I remember is Hugo in 1989. That storm scared me so badly. I was about 14 at the time & living in Marlboro County, SC. The eye moved just to the west of us. It was really scary! Those were the highest wind speeds I had ever experienced. It's been 17 years since that category 4 (nearly 5) directly hit us. I am worried that this year we have another one like Hugo.
1140889
Its maximum sustained winds (measured or best estimate due to a general lack of data over oceans) would reach 39 mph. It will almost certainly affect some residential areas either way - but not threatening at this time.
575951
But it does! Surfers foolish enough to go out during storms are struck by lightning every year! (see links)\n\n1 in 17,400 people died by lightning strike, ! Much better odds than the lottery!\n\n2,000 people were struck on the coast of Florida last year.
218658
They maybe about as good as it gets, or needs to get.  Some models say if you had an enormous amount of information all over the world and somehow hooked it all up to computers, maybe instead of one week prediction, 3 week prediction. Notice we all watched Katrina for 2 weeks and the early prediction was it could be very sever. Several years ago a storm on the computer simulated predicted similar devastation to the area and once again funding was cut to 10%. \nDo you remember Bill Clinton canceling meetings in Europe and coming back for a #4 storm in Carolinas. FEMA waiting close to the storm and moving in? Congress criticized the amount of money. Of coarse it was very small compared to anything this administration does today. \nWhat we need is political will.
17282
Let us not forget Tropical storm Zeta that flared up in December.
483952
The 2006 Atlantic hurricane season will be an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It will officially start June 1, 2006, and last until November 30, 2006.\n\nThe 2006 Pacific hurricane season will be an ongoing event in the annual cycle of tropical cyclone formation. It will officially start May 15, 2006 in the eastern Pacific and June 1, 2006 in the central Pacific, and will last until November 30, 2006.
47236
Unfortunatlly its completely impossible to predict that answer. Time has shown that the Atlantic Hurricane Season runs typically on a 30 year pattern. \n\nHowever, if you believe the global warming concept, then naturally the hurricanes could increase. Don't forget though, that Global Warming isn't going to disrupt only the Atlantic Basin, it will be a worldwide weather phenomina. Global Weather Patterns could change and even make Atlantic Hurricanes Disappear if the Atlantic Waters are cooled by polar ice melting.
561124
Yes. My neighbor has collected weather data for the last 15 years.  It's mostly temperature, rain amount, and a general description of the weather.  I did a statistical analysis of the temperature data and discovered that the trend indicated an increasing temperature.  I used a least squares analysis and plotted the graph.  I did this for a monthly average, and a yearly average.  The trend is upward for both, and some record highs were recorded in several months. I don't want to get into the details for anyone who is a statistical genius at this point.  The outcome seems to depend on which political party you belong to in the US. \nThere are also some wild fluctuations in temperature, and wind events.  We have had some severe storms that have damaged large areas of pristine forests, and we have had some major flooding. I live in Pennsylvania and, yes, I would say the temperature is changing somewhat by inching upwards, based on temperature data.  The voracity of some storm events are very damaging, as viewed over my lifetime in this geographic area.  Friend to friend, I would think about moving to Europe if I was you.  You are going to experience a cataclysmic event in the near future that will have devastating effects on the UK.  At least that's what my research shows.  But, it's just the rantings of a conspiracy nut, that's what my friends say.
403521
There is no difference. A hurricane is just called different things in different parts of the world.