Is it normal???

[whosinpower]

I have been wondering - is it normal for Florida to get hit by THREE major hurricanes in one season????

Ivan appears to be a real killer - and while it is still a ways away, it looks like it might reach Florida. My prayers go out to the people there.

Anyways - seems to me this hurricane season is unprecidented....but maybe I am wrong.....

[Orangepeel]

1. you are right. it is unprecidented.

nobody knows why, though. could be global warming. could be a random freak of nature.

[LisaL]

2. I don't think it's normal either.

[Infomaniac]

3. It's the new normal

Some scientists feel that stronger hurricanes are fueled by the warmer water surface temperatures brought about by global warming. This may be just a spike in activity or a portent of things to come. Of course, the bushies are still saying we don't need no stinkin' Kyoto Treaty.

[Swamp Rat]

4. Go here for hurricane info:

http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcfaqHED.html

[quaker bill]

5. It is not outside the statistical bounds of normal.

Florida has been spared frequent hurricane landfalls for many years. From the 1940's to the early 1960's landfalls were far more frequent here than they were in the 70's, 80's, and 90's. We also had a sustained drought throughout this period.

Since 1994, we have been beginning to return to the wetter portion of the historic 30 year cycle. Unfortunately for the millions who moved here during the last 30 years, we are just beginning to get a taste of the "wet cycle". Cumulative rainfall totals are only now approaching normal.

During the last wet cycle, rainfall totals departed from average by a cumulative total of over 50 inches and were sustained for a decade.

Take it from me, we have only just begun to see what this is like. I am a scientist and it happens that stormwater and flood management in Florida is what I do for a living. It was a busy day and the river will not crest until this weekend.