Thread: Great Seasonal Wrap=up (Masters)

The 2008 Atlantic Basin Hurricane Season officially ends in a few days.

Dr. Jeff Masters has done a wonderful wrap up blog today... well worth reading.

In it, he reminds us with words, photos, and graphics, of some of the real effects of the season on real people in real places with which we are all familiar.

If you have a couple of minutes, please read it. You'll be glad you did!


Wunder Blog : Weather Underground

He also points to a couple of charities that are STILL helping hurricane victims - one in the states, and one in Haiti - in case anyone is looking for a year end tax deduction.

One other thing he points out is the many records set this season. Here they are:


Notable records for 2008

• -Fourth costliest hurricane season on record ($21 billion dollars in U.S. damage, according to ISO's Property Claim Services)

• -First time major hurricanes have been observed in five separate months (Bertha, Gustav, Ike, Omar, Paloma occurred in July, August, September, October, and November, respectively)

• -First time six consecutive storms made U.S. landfall (Dolly, Edouard, Fay, Gustav, Hanna, and Ike).

• -First time three major hurricanes have hit Cuba (Gustav, Ike, Paloma)

• -Costliest hurricane in Texas history (Ike, $16.2 billion)

• -Second deadliest U.S. hurricane since 1972, and 26th deadliest in history (Ike, with 82 dead).

• -Highest wind gust ever measured in a hurricane over land (Gustav, 212 mph in Pinar del Rio, Cuba)

• -First storm ever to make four landfalls in one state (Fay, in Florida)

• -Second strongest November hurricane (Paloma, 145 mph winds)

• -Smallest tropical cyclone on record (Marco)

• -Longest-lived July hurricane on record, longest-lived hurricane so early in the season, longest-lived tropical storm in July and so early in the season (Bertha, which was a hurricane 7.75 days, eclipsing the previous record of 7 days held by Hurricane Emily of 2005. Bertha was at tropical storm strength for 17.25 days).

• -Farthest east forming tropical storm and hurricane for so early in the season (Bertha)

Once again, if you have even three or four minutes, and want some fascinating reading, Click this link: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/Jef...?entrynum=1162

Did anybody get a chance to read through this?
Any comments?