NYT/Reuters: New Orleans Seen Top US Target for '06 Hurricanes

[DeepModem Mom]

New Orleans Seen Top US Target for '06 Hurricanes
By REUTERS
Published: May 24, 2006

ORLANDO, Florida (Reuters) - New Orleans, still down and out from last year's assault by Hurricane Katrina, is the U.S. city most likely to be struck by hurricane force winds during the 2006 storm season, a researcher said on Wednesday.

The forecast gives New Orleans a nearly 30 percent chance of being hit by a hurricane and a one in 10 chance the storm will be a Category 3 or stronger, meaning sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour (178 km per hour), said Chuck Watson of Kinetic Analysis Corp., Savannah, Georgia a risk assessment firm.

"Given the state of the infrastructure down there and the levees, gosh, that's just not good news. But that's what the climate signals look like,'' Watson said.

Watson, who has partnered with University of Central Florida statistics professor Mark Johnson, also predicted that oil production in the Gulf of Mexico will be disrupted for a minimum of a week at a cost of 7-8 million barrels of oil.

Up to 25 percent of U.S. oil production in the Gulf was shut down last year and 20 percent is still out....

http://www.nytimes.com/reuters/news/news-weather-hurricanes-forecast.html

[AnOhioan]

1. Well, It's a damn good thing that......

The likely head of FEMA...Mr "Duct Tape and Plastic" Paulison is gonna be the point-man this time around huh?


:sarcasm:

[babylonsister]

2. Maybe not Paulison, not if he's not confirmed:

CNN/AP: Questions raised about FEMA nominee's tax returns Updated at 4:22 PM

Questions raised about FEMA nominee's tax returns
Wednesday, May 24, 2006

WASHINGTON (AP) -- Questionable deductions on three years of R. David Paulison's tax returns threw an unexpected hitch into his Senate confirmation to become permanent chief of the nation's disaster response agency, just days before hurricane season starts.

A spokesman for the Federal Emergency Management Agency said Paulison planned to file three years' worth of amended tax returns as early as Wednesday afternoon, and immediately pay back any money owed.

It was not immediately known how much the deductions were worth or specifically what they were for. FEMA spokesman Aaron Walker described them as for "living expenses."

"We want to be as transparent on this as possible," Walker said. "We want to work with the committee to make sure that this doesn't hinder his nomination in any fashion."

It was not initially clear what effect, if any, the disclosure would have on his confirmation. Walker said Paulison was "absolutely not" considering withdrawing his nomination....

http://www.cnn.com/2006/POLITICS/05/24/femachief.taxes....

[Jacobin]

3. I call bullshit on this one

No one can predict where a hurricane is going before it's formed and once its formed, you are lucky to get within 100 miles of a landfall prediction 48 hours before landfall.

This is some dubious think tank crap this wanker is selling to insurance companies to make a fraudulent buck.

I've lived in hurricane alley for 5 decades. You don't know where the fuck they are going.

Hell, Katrina was supposed to go back into the Atlantic 4 days before it hit New Orleans.

[hashibabba]

4. Well, I heard...

that the storms were more likely to head to the east coast of Texas and that New England has to worry this year. That was from Accu-Weather. They have charts and graphs that tell them, not specifically where the storms are going, but like last year they'd predicted a particularly bad season. They can tell by winds and temperature of the water and other meteorological signs, where hurricanes may be stronger in a certain year and have more tendency to go.

No, they'll never be able to predict exactly where a hurricane will go (I lived in Florida for many years). I also don't know who is more accurate in their forecasting. I used to always watch the National Weather Service (or something like that)in Florida. I haven't heard what they're saying this year.

[HeeBGBz]

5. The other reports say east coast more likely

This year according to the NHC reports the other day. They were pointing to east coast and Texas. I agree with you that no one really knows until they get close. I think come late summer if anything pops up in the hot gulf waters all bets will be off.

This is how prepared we are to see another one.



Beachfront property still in this shape after 9 months. The potential for massive projectiles turning the coast into a blender during any coming storm.