NOAA PACKS HURRICANE WEB SITE WITH FACTS AND HISTORY

Aug. 27, 2004 — The statistical peak of the hurricane season is September 10—just two weeks away. Millions of Florida residents will not soon forget Hurricane Charley who came ashore with 145-mph winds leaving widespread destruction in its wake. Now, Hurricane Frances is churning in the Atlantic, the fourth hurricane of the 2004 Atlantic hurricane season. For those looking to find out more about these storms, the NOAA Hurricane Research Division updated and expanded its highly popular Hurricane Frequently Asked Questions Web site. The Hurricane FAQ attempts to address various questions regarding hurricanes, typhoons and tropical cyclones that have been posed to hurricane researchers over the years. (Click NOAA satellite image for larger view of Hurricane Frances taken at 2:45 p.m. EDT on Aug. 26, 2004. Click here for high resolution version, which is a large file. Please credit “NOAA.”)

The Hurricane FAQ, created and maintained by NOAA hurricane researcher Chris Landsea and his colleagues, includes a wide range of information on basic hurricane science and many related topics such as travel during hurricane season, hurricane history and general storm facts.

The first version of the Hurricane FAQ originated in 1995 in an effort to help explain the science of predicting seasonal hurricane activity. Since then it has grown into a significant resource for general hurricane information used by everyone from journalists to students to weather enthusiasts. In the latest version, Landsea and others completed nine new topics and 12 updated topics, including the following.

• Why don't we try to destroy tropical cyclones by cooling the surface waters with icebergs or deep ocean water?
• I'm vacationing in the Caribbean/the Bahamas/Central America/Miami or elsewhere in the tropics during hurricane season. What's my chance of getting hit by a hurricane?
• What does "maximum sustained wind" mean? How does it relate to gusts in tropical cyclones?

The Hurricane FAQ answers cover topics such as characteristics of these catastrophic storms, how they are monitored and forecasted, and some research topics that are being addressed today. The Hurricane FAQ is organized into the following subtopics and includes graphics, photographs and tables whenever possible to help illustrate subjects.

NOAA is dedicated to enhancing economic security and national safety through the prediction and research of weather and climate-related events and providing environmental stewardship of the nation’s coastal and marine resources. NOAA is part of the U.S. Department of Commerce.

Relevant Web Sites
NOAA Hurricane FAQ

NOAA Hurricane Research Division

NOAA Hurricanes Page

Media Contact:
Erica Rule, NOAA Hurricane Research Division, (305) 361-4541