More bad news for the Gulf: the National Oceanic and Atmosphere Administration (NOAA) is forecasting 13 to 23 named storms, 8-14 hurricanes and 3 to 7 category 3 storms for the hurricane season beginning June 1. This is the worst opening forecast in 50 years. Obviously, with all that oil floating around in the Gulf, this is a very serious set of predictions. Those in the Gulf have no choice but to spend mega-bucks to keep the accompanying storm surges from driving the polluted waters into the fresh water outlets along the coastline.
That's the bad news.
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Here is the good news.
Since Katrina, there has been a total of 2 category three storms. What most folks have forgotten is the dooms day forecast for the year following Katrina: 17 storms, 9 hurricanes and 7 category 3 hurricanes. Remember how many hurricanes hit the Gulf Coast that year, 2006? None.
This year, however, the ocean waters are 2 to 4 degrees warmer than in 2006 raising concerns that the NOAA's forecast will be much more accurate. All we can do is hope that this prediction comes from the same corp of scientists that manufactured the global warming scare --- jds.
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