Hurricane Preparedness Week begins on Sunday, May 23, with a focus on the history of notable storms. Other topics include the triple threats of storm surge, high winds, and inland flooding; the forecast process; preparedness; and taking action.
The Central Pacific hurricane season outlook, released yesterday, calls for a below-average tropical cyclone threat to Hawaii. It predicts a "70% chance of a below normal season, a 25% chance of a near normal season, and only a 5% chance of an above normal season."
Meanwhile, a ClimateWire article, reposted by the New York Times, considers the effects of a hurricane on the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico:
Researchers Ponder a Hurricane Hitting the Oil-Slicked Gulf of Mexico
NOAA talking points list a number of open questions, such as whether the oil plume could affect storm formation by suppressing evaporation of Gulf water and how a hurricane could change the size and location of the oil slick. There's little information about what would happen if a hurricane hit the spill, experts said.In the Stupid Pet Tricks department, NBC Miami reports that a right-wing political lobbying organization, The National Center for Public Policy Research, is using the opportunity to mock climate scientist James Hansen (and conflate weather with climate) by having a chimpanzee roll dice to predict the number of hurricanes for the season:
Still, several scientists are worried that a hurricane could drive oil inland, soiling beaches and wetlands and pushing polluted water up river estuaries.
No Monkey Business: Primate Predicts Busy Hurricane Season
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