Record-Breaking Atlantic Hurricane Season Ends - ENS

[hatrack]

MIAMI, Florida, December 1, 2004 (ENS) - The 2004 Atlantic hurricane season officially ended Tuesday after making its mark in the record books. This is the first time since recordkeeping began in 1851 that four hurricanes have impacted Florida in one year. The only other state to have experienced this level of activity was Texas in 1886.

Nine named storms affected the United States during the six month hurricane season. Three were tropical storms - Bonnie, Hermine and Matthew - and six were hurricanes - Alex, Charley, Frances, Gaston, Ivan and Jeanne. Fifty-nine people died as a direct result of the 2004 hurricanes.

Florida bore the brunt of U.S. property damage, with damage estimates - adjusted to year 2000 dollars expected to eclipse the $34.9 billion in damage caused by Hurricane Andrew in 1992.

EDIT

NOAA scientsts said that during 2004, the hurricane landfalls were related to a strong region of high pressure over the western Atlantic in the middle levels of the atmosphere, which helped to steer hurricanes toward the United States rather than out to sea."

EDIT/END

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[illflem]

1. Can you say

global climate change due to elevated man made CO2 levels?
Expect more of the same only worse.