Dean became the firstTropical Storm Hurricane 2007 Atlantic to enter into the Gulf of Mexico. Tropical Storm Dean is strengthening as it continues westwards towards the Lesser Antilles Islands. Wind shear has fallen to 10 knots this morning, which has allowed the storm to consolidate its heavy thunderstorm activity into a symmetrical pattern around the center. Estimates of intensity from both traditional satellite images and microwave images have shown a steady intensification this morning, and some well-formed spiral bands are now visible on satellite loops. The major impediment to intensification is the large amount of dry air (Figure 1) to the storm's north, and this will continue to be a problem for it until it reaches a moister environment near the Lesser Antilles Islands. This morning's QuikSCAT satellite pass missed Dean, but last night's pass showed a large and well-formed circulation.

This years 5th Hurricane Protection Voodoo Ceremony that will be performed once again in this quiet Miami suburban neighborhood of Bird Road this year. This particular stylized Voodoo ritual will be been done each time a hurricane forms in the Atlantic or Gulf of Mexico and is to summon the protection of the spirit world against each hurricane individually.

In New Orleans Mambo Sallie Ann Glassman Performs only 1 New Orleans Hurricane ritual publicly a year. Voodoo has long been entrenched in New Orleans, quietly practiced in homes with altars, candles and incense to solve problems. Before the Hurricane Katrina tore through, about 15 percent of the city's population actively practiced, according to local Voodooist.

Each time there is a hurricane in the gulf we perform our hurricane ritual at a moments notice. Each year it is practiced with special prayers and chants to their Vodoun, the Loa Agwe. The personification of the ocean, and the patron of sailors and fishermen. "Only members of our group are involved and we do not seek media attention," says Fernando. What we do is secret to our closed Miami societies circle and not all details are given to the outside world."

A tropical storm watch may be issued for the western portion of the Florida Keys sometime Sunday, according to the discussion notes issued by the hurricane center.

Just how powerful the hurricane becomes will be "highly dependent on the exact track that Dean takes due to land interaction with Haiti and Cuba,". None of the computer models are forecasting that Dean will miss the Lesser Antilles Islands. The trough of low pressure that will pass north of the islands on Saturday is now expected to be a bit weaker than earlier forecast, which should allow Dean to pass into the Caribbean on a west to west-northwest track. The trough is no longer forecast to spawn an upper-level low pressure system, which means that the danger to the U.S. East Coast north of the Carolinas is minimal. A ridge of high pressure is expected to build in after the first trough passes on Saturday, which should keep Dean on a west to west-northwest path into the middle of next week. The southernmost model solutions (GFDL, Canadian) take Dean into Honduras early next week. The more northerly solutions of the GFS and HWRF take Dean over Jamaica, then into the Gulf of Mexico. No models call for a threat to the east coast of Florida at present, but that could change once we see how strong Saturday's trough of low pressure really will be. The NOAA jet is scheduled to make its first flight Thursday night, and by Friday morning we should have a good set of model runs that will give us a more reliable idea of Dean's likely track. At present, it appears that Dean's main threat to the U.S. will be to the Gulf of Mexico coast.

Intensity forecast
With low shear and warm water ahead of it, Dean's intensification over the next few days will only be limited by the dry air to the north. I expect that this dry air will impede Dean enough so that the storm passes through the Lesser Antilles as a Category 1 hurricane. After that, the environment moistens, shear stays low, and the heat content of the ocean greatly increases. The 06Z run of new HWRF model is again very aggressive intensifying Dean after it crosses into the Caribbean, bringing the storm to 928 mb (Category 4) on Monday morning near Jamaica. The GFDL model is not nearly as aggressive, putting Dean at 964 mb (Category 2) Monday morning. I can't see any reason why Dean wouldn't become a Category 3 or 4 hurricane by the time it reaches the Cuba/Jamaica region, unless it passes very close to the mountainous island of Hispaniola.

2005 year's hurricane season was the most destructive on record. Hurricane Katrina devastated Louisiana and Mississippi and was blamed for more than 1,570 deaths among Louisiana residents alone.

It also was the busiest in 154 years of storm tracking, with a records 28 named storms and a record 15 hurricanes. Meteorologists used up their list of 21 proper names _ beginning with Arlene and ending with Wilma _ and had to use the Greek alphabet to name storms for the first time.

DEAN

ERIN

 

Rituals for Agwe, (Agoue) are held near the Ocean, and offerings to him are floated on hand made rafts or small boats. Agwe is associated with the catholic St. Ulrich. At sunrise today as the first light of dawn , Fernando and his group of 10 dozen or more followers set afloat 700 small boats and rafts into the Atlantic ocean as they have done before this year . "We have got to call on the mighty voodoo Lwa and our ancestors for help and get real serious about it." Says Fernando. " We put something in each boat or raft, we feed her and offer her spinach, which means, 'We are wishing DEAN be decimated,' and sweet beets, which means 'May DEAN be removed from the world.' "We give Agwe sweet carrots which asks, 'May our merits be increased against hurricane Dean.'" We have also included real New Orleans Voodoo Zombie Bottles fir the first time on a few of the small rafts to help that it not hit or destroy any more of New Orleans. "

"I have used Zombie spirit bottles in my rituals before, but it seems the most Powerful Zombies come from New Orleans Voodooist" . Says Fernando, " I have I think depleted their supply and Paractioners in New Orleans are working hard gathering more Zombie Spirits to send more to me for the future. >Read More Here>

"In New Orleans Bianca The Voodoo Queens magic hurricane protection starts June first, in warding off the major hurricanes with her own voodoo ceremonial drumming and the burning of the hurricane names for 2007, and lighting of the sacred 100 year old voodoo hurricane lamp (an eternal voodoo vigilance flame to remain lit until November 30th)." Says Fernando. " Sallie ann Glassman this past July did her own New Orleans voodoo hurricane ritual the powerful intercession of Erzulie Dantor to protect her city." I try to import into my voodoo part of others rituals as so to heighten their power over the fiercest storms of the Century." "The crowds of 150 plus vodousi and residents gathered this year at Achade Meadows Peristyle, 3319 Rosalie Alley (off of Rampart, between Piety and Desire in New Orleans, Bywater)." > Read More Here < This Voudou ritual is specifically designed to summon the protection of the spirit world against the devastating hurricanes that often plough in from the Gulf of Mexico. It is dedicated to the Catholic Lady of Prompt Succor and to Ezili Danto, the Vodoun Lwa of Storms and Passion.

Empowered by an influx of Haitian slaves, voodoo was a strong power in the 19th Century, and still has its adherents in america's south today. Being homeless and distracted is no small spiritual matter in a period during which Vodousi believe that God decides "who shall live, and who shall die . . . who by fire and who by water." Says Fernando, "You have to close the book on the hurricane that is over. That's something a lot of people in New Orleans will have to do over and over again." " In my secret voodoo beliefs, yesterday is now gone." "Today is now!" "So now can I change tomorrow."

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Voodoo and Santeria are both African-based religions adapted and, to varying degrees, synchronized with Catholicism. Both religions used images Catholic saints to represent the African gods, loas, or santos. Sometimes more than just the images are used and a true meld or syncretism occurs.

Vodun, like Christianity, is a religion of many traditions. Each group follows a different spiritual path and worships a slightly different pantheon of spirits, called Loa. The word means "mystery" in the Yoruba language.

VODUN (and related religions such as: Candomble, Lucumi,
Macumba, Voodoo, Vodoun, and Yoruba)

General Background - Vodun (a.k.a. Vodoun, Voudou, Voodoo,
Sevi Lwa) is commonly called Voodoo by the public. The name is
traceable to an African word for "spirit". Vodun's roots go back to
the West African Yoruba people who lived in 18th and 19th century
Dahomey. That country occupied parts of today's Togo, Benin and
Nigeria. Slaves brought their religion with them when they were
forcibly shipped to Haiti and other islands in the West Indies.

Today over 60 million people practice Vodun worldwide.

"Voodoo is not some kind of black magic cult," said Wade Davis, a Washington-based National Geographic explorer-in-residence who has studied the religion extensively in Haiti. "It's the distillation of very profound religious ideas that came over during the tragic era of slavery."

Wade Davis is an anthropologist, botanical explorer, and best-selling author who received his Ph.D. in ethnobotany from Harvard University. He spent more than three years in the Amazon and Andes as a plant explorer, living among 15 indigenous groups in eight Latin American nations while making some 6,000 botanical collections.

Read More about Real Voodoo and Hoodoo Practices here!

Davis's work later took him to Haiti to investigate folk preparations implicated in the creation of zombies, an assignment that led to his writing Passage of Darkness (1988) and The Serpent and the Rainbow (1986), an international best-seller that appeared in ten languages and was later adapted by Universal Studios as a motion picture. He is author of five other books, including One River (1996), Shadows in the Sun (1998) and Light at the Edge of the World (2001).

Agwe, Agoué Loa of the ocean, of ships and boats, patron of seafarers. husband of Maitresse Erzulie in her aquatic aspects.

 

 

For every year, there is a pre-approved list of names for tropical storms and hurricanes. These lists have been generated by the National Hurricane Center since 1953. At first, the lists consisted of only female names; however, since 1979, the lists alternate between male and female. Hurricanes are named alphabetically from the list in chronological order. Thus the first tropical storm or hurricane of the year has a name that begins with "A" and the second is given the name that begins with "B." The lists contain names that begin from A to W, but exclude names that begin with a "Q" or "U."

There are six lists that continue to rotate. 2007 Hurricane Names 2008 Hurricane Names 2009 Hurricane Names Andrea Barry Chantal Dean Erin Felix Gabrielle Humberto Ingrid Jerry Karen Lorenzo Melissa Noel Olga Pablo Rebekah Sebastien Tanya Van Wendy Arthur Bertha Cristobal Dolly Edouard Fay Gustav Hanna Ike Josephine Kyle Laura Marco Nana Omar Paloma Rene Sally Teddy Vicky Wilfred Ana Bill Claudette Danny Erika Fred Grace Henri Ida Joaquin Kate Larry Mindy Nicholas Odette Peter Rose Sam Teresa Victor Wanda

HURRICANE CEREMONY X

Public prayer ceremony dedicated to Our Lady of Prompt Succor (who has intervened historically on New Orleans' behalf when a hurricane has threatened) and Ezili Danto (also associated with Mater Salvatoris and Moumt Carmel) to ask for protection from hurricanes

When: Saturday, July 21st.. 7:00 p.m.

Where: Achade Meadows Peristyle, 3319 Rosalie Alley (off of Rampart, between Piety and Desire)

What to bring in offering:
For Our Lady: flowers, statues, candles, religious pictures, jewelry.
For Danto: Barbancourt Rum, Florida Water, candles, daggers, dolls dressed in red and blue with gold trim or calico prints, spicy black beans, peasant cakes, unfiltered cigarettes, fried pork, white crème de menthe.

What to wear: Please dress in white (the color of purity), with red head scarves, or all red (the color of Petwo rites).

For More Info, call The Island of Salvation Botanica: (504) 948-9961.
http://www.feyvodou.com/

Last year's hurricane season blew away the predictions. Here's what a leading forecaster from Colorado State University says

· This season will be busy, but not as intense as last year. · There's a 81 percent chance a major hurricane could hit along the U.S. coast and a 64 percent chance one could hit the East Coast. · The still-recovering Gulf Coast could be hit again -- there's a 47 percent chance of a major hurricane striking there.

"DEAN, you know now that potential for large loss of life is always with us," said Fernando, "We had heard on the news that well over 1,000 lives were lost in Hurricane Katrina and Rita. And I never want to see this happen here to us Miami, Florida or anywhere in the world again."

"I call upon all these spirits and Lwas in this order when performing my unique Santeria Voodoo Ritual, Says Fernando ." I ask each Lwa to intercede and protect the whole of americas Coast lines." "Yemaya and the river goddesses always protect us at the last possible minute." " Just as New Orleans The city of lost souls, Zombies, ghosts and Voodoo ancestors is ultimately protected by the magic chants, offerings and incantations of the local voodoo priestesses and practitioners and residents." " So is Miami and the whole United States by our prayers." " I gear my rituals not to cause inference to others Voodoo or Hoodoo that might be going on."

Agwe: spirit of the sea
Aida Wedo: rainbow spirit
Ayza: protector
Baka: an evil spirit who takes the form of an animal
Baron Samedi: guardian of the grave
Dambala (or Damballah-wedo): serpent spirit
Erinle: spirit of the forests
Ezili (or Erzulie): female spirit of love
Mawu Lisa: spirit of creation
Ogou Balanjo: spirit of healing
Ogun (or Ogu Bodagris): spirit of war
Osun: spirit of healing streams
Sango (or Shango): spirit of storms
Yemanja: female spirit of waters
Zaka (or Oko): spirit of agriculture

Practitioners of the Santeria Voodoo faith believe that nothing and no event has a life of its own. Each thing affects something else. Many spiritualists and believers of the faith agree that we are not separate; we all serve as parts of one. We are the mirrors and reflections of each other’s souls. God manifests through the spirits of ancestors who can bring good or harm and must be honored in ceremonies. There is a sacred cycle between the living and the dead. Believers ask for their misery to end. Hurricane Rituals include prayers, to Agwe.

Agwe Pronunciation: Ogg-way • (noun)

Alternate Spellings: Agoué, Agoue, Agouet

 

Santeria hurricane services like these are designed to make people feel good, not scare them. special prayers are offered at each morning mass during the five-month hurricane season. The Loa form a pantheon of deities that include Damballah, Ezili, Ogu, Agwe, Legba and others. During Voodoo ceremonies these Loa can possess the bodies of the ceremony participants. Loa appear by "possessing" the faithful, who in turn become the Loa, relaying advice, warnings and desires.

A crowd of devotees' and neighbors each time gather in a circle around the huge altar in anticipation of the approaching divine hurricane protection ritual. Holy candles burn near large statues of the saints, five men and 6 woman sit together pounding their huge conga drums, and a Man begins to sing aloud in a cuban tongue, beckoning their great voodoo god Agwe to come to them and protect them from the ravages of Hurricanes to come.

The solemn calm drum beat intensifies, and suddenly, one by one, women and men and children leap up, dancing, shouting and spinning wildly out of control. Collectively, they are becoming possessed by the spirit of Loa Agwe and, while in this mystical trance they will embody his great power, strength and courage to ward off the impending devastation of this powerful record breaking hurricane.

With their eyes fixed wide, and great beads of sweat pouring off them, drenching their white clothes in the hot afternoon 90 plus heat, they dance madly and frenzied and shout, and each takes his turn bowing down in front of the altar to Agwe. Praying and chanting for his protection and devine intervention.

"When we are mounted by the gods, possessed as the American says." Fernando explains, "We are not any longer ourselves, no longer one soul, no longer human beings." "We are the gods." "It's not magical hallucinations, it's very real." "It shows us the power of Agwe and our Santeria Voodoo beliefs at work!"

 

Hurricane Season 2007 Be prepared for this year's hurricane season. Find states' emergency info, and where to get help for Louisiana, Mississippi , Texas, Florida, Alabama, South Caraolina, North Carolina. VIEW WEB SITE Get info from NOAA hurricane center on storms. What Would You Call It? What would you name a hurricane? Is your name on the official list? See more about the history of naming or check out memorable hurricanes. What Are They? What are hurricanes, anyway? How do they form? How to Survive: Find out what to do before, during and after a hurricane. Been Struck? Has your area been declared a national disaster? Find out where to get help and assistance. More hurricane link Resources: · Six to 10 Day Forecast in Your Area · NOAA: National Hurricane Center · Fed. Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) · Find Your Local Red Cross Chapter · Water for Drinking and Cooking | More Tips Disaster preparedness begins with each family and household having a plan. FEMA recommends that you have a ready-to-go emergency kit that will allow you to survive unaided for three days. A kit should include the following: First aid kit (including prescription medicines) Food and water for up to 72 hours Extra clothing and blankets Flashlights and extra batteries The following supplies are recommended: NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries Whistle to signal for help A camp stove with extra fuel Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire Photocopies of credit and identification cards Food and Water In addition to an emergency kit, families should be prepared with up to three days of food and water for each member. Basic foods, like canned foods, dry foods, and other non-perishable items are best to have because if electricity goes out, they will still be edible. Here are some tips: Keep foods on hand that everyone in your family will like to eat Avoid foods that are high in fat and protein Don't stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty The average person requires two quarts of drinking water per day. Some individuals, like children or nursing mothers, may require more. A gallon per day for each person in your family is the recommended amount, say American Red Cross officials. If you are running low on water, don't ration. To lessen the amount you need, reduce your activity.   If water is unavailable from household sources, water from rain, streams or rivers, and natural springs can be used. However, water from any outdoor source must first be purified before it can be used for potable or hygienic purposes. Boiling, disinfecting (by means of adding 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water) and distillation are the three recommended methods of purification.   Be Ready to Evacuate Mobile homes and travel trailers are particularly vulnerable to severe weather because of their instability. Since hurricanes can trigger quickly forming tornadoes, residents should be prepared to leave at a moments notice. A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. When a tornado warning is issued, take shelter in a building with a strong foundation. If shelter is not available, lie in ditch or low-lying area a safe distance away from the unit. Never stay inside a mobile home or travel trailer if a tornado warning has been issued. Evacuation is a real possibility that your family might face if a natural disaster threatens your home. Every family should have an emergency plan that outlines what to do, how to communicate with family members when evacuating, and how the family should re-connect in case they get separated. Know the location and best route for evacuation out of the area Practice your emergency evacuation plan with your family Heed local and state-issued evacuation orders Be ready to leave at a moment's notice "Natural disasters are unpredictable, but if you are prepared, you and your family will know how to deal with them when they happen," said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Bolch. To learn more on how to prepare your family for the upcoming hurricane season, visit www.ready.gov or call 800-BE-READY. Materials, including supply kit suggested supplies and family communication plan templates are available on the website. The website also provides information on how to prepare for all disasters, including man-made and other natural disasters.

VIEW WEBSITE Get info from NOAA hurricane center on storms. Get Hurricans and Storm Info Satellite | Radar Aircraft Recon Advisory Archive Mobile Products E-mail Advisories RSS Feeds NHC Products Help Tropical Analysis and Forecasting Atlantic | E Pacific TAFB Products Help Hurricane Awareness Be Prepared | Learn Frequent Questions AOML Hurricane Research Division Hurricane Hunters Saffir-Simpson Scale Forecasting Models Eyewall Wind Profiles Glossary/Acronyms Storm Names Breakpoints Hurricane History Seasons Archive Forecast Accuracy Climatology Deadliest, Costliest and Most Intense 1492-1996 (Atlan) 1851-2004 (USA) Most Expensive Most Intense US Strikes - Decade US Strikes - State About NHC/TPC Mission/Vision Personnel Visitor Information Library Joint Hurr Testbed The NCEP Centers NOAA Locator WX4NHC Radio

Five Hurricane Names
to Be Retired

DENNIS, KATRINA, RITA, STAN AND WILMA "RETIRED" FROM LIST OF STORM NAMES
International Committee Selects Replacement Names for 2011 List

April 6, 2006 - Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma, all from the historic 2005 Atlantic hurricane season, were "retired" by an international hurricane committee of the World Meteorological Organization, which includes the NOAA National Hurricane Center, during their annual meeting in San Juan, Puerto Rico. Now retired, these five storms, part of last season's record-setting 27 named storms and 15 hurricanes, will not reappear on the list of potential storm names that is otherwise recycled every six years. (Click NOAA illustration for larger view of Hurricanes Dennis, Katrina, Rita and Wilma. Click here for high resolution version. Please credit "NOAA.")

Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma represent the type of devastating storm that is "retired" for causing a large loss of life and property. These names will not be used again for sensitivity reasons and to establish distinction within the scientific and legal communities.

For 2011, Dennis, Katrina, Rita, Stan and Wilma have been replaced with Don, Katia, Rina, Sean and Whitney, respectively.

Since tropical cyclones were first named in 1953, 67 names have been retired (the first being Carol and Hazel in 1954), and with a total of five, 2005 has the most retired storm names in a single season (previous record: four in 1955, 1995 and 2004).

A synopsis of the newly retired storms:

Dennis began its path of destruction in early July while passing between Jamaica and Haiti and then crossing Cuba with estimated top winds of 140 mph. After tracking north across the eastern Gulf of Mexico, Dennis came ashore on Santa Rosa Island, Fla., as a Category 3 hurricane on July 10 with top winds estimated at 120 mph. At least 54 deaths are directly or indirectly attributed to Dennis, including 15 in the U.S, most from within Florida.

Katrina became the costliest and one of the deadliest hurricanes in U.S. history with damage costs exceeding $50 billion and fatalities, directly and indirectly, topping 1,300. Katrina came ashore at Buras, La., as a Category 3 hurricane on August 29 with top winds estimated at 125 mph. Additionally, Katrina was a Category 1 hurricane when it first struck the U.S. near the Broward/Miami-Dade County line in Florida on August 24 after bringing tropical storm conditions to the northern Bahamas.

Rita made landfall in extreme southwestern Louisiana, near the Texas border, as a Category 3 hurricane with top winds of 115 mph on September 24. Rita reached Category 5 strength with top winds estimated at 180 mph over the central Gulf of Mexico, where it had the fourth-lowest central pressure on record (895 millibars) in the Atlantic Basin. Rita produced a significant storm surge that devastated coastal communities in southwestern Louisiana, and its wind, rain, and tornadoes caused fatalities and a wide swath of damage from eastern Texas to Alabama. Rita also produced storm surge flooding in parts of the Florida Keys as the storm's center passed between the Keys and Cuba en route to the Gulf Coast.

Stan, in combination with other weather features, produced torrential rainfall in Mexico and Central America where the combined death toll is estimated to be as high as 2,000. Stan first crossed Mexico's Yucatan Peninsula as a tropical storm, then moved southwest across the Bay of Campeche and hit as a Category 1 hurricane about 90 miles southeast of Veracruz, Mexico, on October 4.

Wilma was an extremely intense Category 5 hurricane over the northwestern Caribbean Sea with estimated tops winds of 185 mph and the all-time lowest central pressure (882 millibars) for an Atlantic Basin hurricane. A slow-moving Wilma devastated coastal areas of the northeastern Yucatan Peninsula of Mexico as a Category 4 hurricane. It later raced into South Florida-coming ashore near Cape Romano, Fla., at Category 3 intensity with top winds estimated at 120 mph on October 24-and inflicting extensive damage.

NOAA, an agency of the U.S. Department of Commerce, 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.

Through the emerging Global Earth Observation System of Systems (GEOSS), NOAA is working with its federal partners, 61 countries and the European Commission to develop a global network that is as integrated as the planet it observes, predicts and protects.

Worldwide Tropical Cyclone Names

Reason to Name Hurricanes
Experience shows that the use of short, distinctive names in written as well as spoken communications is quicker and less subject to error than the older, more cumbersome latitude-longitude identification methods. These advantages are especially important in exchanging detailed storm information between hundreds of widely scattered stations, coastal bases, and ships at sea.

The use of easily remembered names greatly reduces confusion when two or more tropical storms occur at the same time. For example, one hurricane can be moving slowly westward in the Gulf of Mexico, while at exactly the same time another hurricane can be moving rapidly northward along the Atlantic coast. In the past, confusion and false rumors have arisen when storm advisories broadcast from radio stations were mistaken for warnings concerning an entirely different storm located hundreds of miles away.

History of Hurricane Names
For several hundred years many hurricanes in the West Indies were named after the particular saint's day on which the hurricane occurred. Ivan R. Tannehill describes in his book "Hurricanes" the major tropical storms of recorded history and mentions many hurricanes named after saints. For example, there was "Hurricane Santa Ana" which struck Puerto Rico with exceptional violence on July 26, 1825, and "San Felipe" (the first) and "San Felipe" (the second) which hit Puerto Rico on September 13 in both 1876 and 1928.

Tannehill also tells of Clement Wragge, an Australian meteorologist who began giving women's names to tropical storms before the end of the l9th century.

An early example of the use of a woman's name for a storm was in the novel "Storm" by George R. Stewart, published by Random House in 1941, and since filmed by Walt Disney. During World War II this practice became widespread in weather map discussions among forecasters, especially Air Force and Navy meteorologists who plotted the movements of storms over the wide expanses of the Pacific Ocean.

In 1953, the United States abandoned a confusing two-year old plan to name storms by a phonetic alphabet (Able, Baker, Charlie) when a new, international phonetic alphabet was introduced. That year, the United States began using female names for storms.

The practice of naming hurricanes solely after women came to an end in 1978 when men's and women's names were included in the Eastern North Pacific storm lists. In 1979, male and female names were included in lists for the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.

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National Centers for Environmental Prediction
National Hurricane Center
Tropical Prediction Center
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Miami, Florida, 33165-2149 USA
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The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale

The Saffir-Simpson Hurricane Scale is a 1-5 rating based on the hurricane's present intensity. This is used to give an estimate of the potential property damage and flooding expected along the coast from a hurricane landfall. Wind speed is the determining factor in the scale, as storm surge values are highly dependent on the slope of the continental shelf and the shape of the coastline, in the landfall region. Note that all winds are using the U.S. 1-minute average.

Category One Hurricane:
Winds 74-95 mph (64-82 kt or 119-153 km/hr). Storm surge generally 4-5 ft above normal. No real damage to building structures. Damage primarily to unanchored mobile homes, shrubbery, and trees. Some damage to poorly constructed signs. Also, some coastal road flooding and minor pier damage. Hurricane Lili of 2002 made landfall on the Louisiana coast as a Category One hurricane. Hurricane Gaston of 2004 was a Category One hurricane that made landfall along the central South Carolina coast.

Category Two Hurricane:
Winds 96-110 mph (83-95 kt or 154-177 km/hr). Storm surge generally 6-8 feet above normal. Some roofing material, door, and window damage of buildings. Considerable damage to shrubbery and trees with some trees blown down. Considerable damage to mobile homes, poorly constructed signs, and piers. Coastal and low-lying escape routes flood 2-4 hours before arrival of the hurricane center. Small craft in unprotected anchorages break moorings. Hurricane Frances of 2004 made landfall over the southern end of Hutchinson Island, Florida as a Category Two hurricane. Hurricane Isabel of 2003 made landfall near Drum Inlet on the Outer Banks of North Carolina as a Category 2 hurricane.

Category Three Hurricane:
Winds 111-130 mph (96-113 kt or 178-209 km/hr). Storm surge generally 9-12 ft above normal. Some structural damage to small residences and utility buildings with a minor amount of curtainwall failures. Damage to shrubbery and trees with foliage blown off trees and large trees blown down. Mobile homes and poorly constructed signs are destroyed. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Flooding near the coast destroys smaller structures with larger structures damaged by battering from floating debris. Terrain continuously lower than 5 ft above mean sea level may be flooded inland 8 miles (13 km) or more. Evacuation of low-lying residences with several blocks of the shoreline may be required. Hurricanes Jeanne and Ivan of 2004 were Category Three hurricanes when they made landfall in Florida and in Alabama, respectively.

Category Four Hurricane:
Winds 131-155 mph (114-135 kt or 210-249 km/hr). Storm surge generally 13-18 ft above normal. More extensive curtainwall failures with some complete roof structure failures on small residences. Shrubs, trees, and all signs are blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Extensive damage to doors and windows. Low-lying escape routes may be cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of structures near the shore. Terrain lower than 10 ft above sea level may be flooded requiring massive evacuation of residential areas as far inland as 6 miles (10 km). Hurricane Charley of 2004 was a Category Four hurricane made landfall in Charlotte County, Florida with winds of 150 mph. Hurricane Dennis of 2005 struck the island of Cuba as a Category Four hurricane.

Category Five Hurricane:
Winds greater than 155 mph (135 kt or 249 km/hr). Storm surge generally greater than 18 ft above normal. Complete roof failure on many residences and industrial buildings. Some complete building failures with small utility buildings blown over or away. All shrubs, trees, and signs blown down. Complete destruction of mobile homes. Severe and extensive window and door damage. Low-lying escape routes are cut by rising water 3-5 hours before arrival of the center of the hurricane. Major damage to lower floors of all structures located less than 15 ft above sea level and within 500 yards of the shoreline. Massive evacuation of residential areas on low ground within 5-10 miles (8-16 km) of the shoreline may be required. Only 3 Category Five Hurricanes have made landfall in the United States since records began: The Labor Day Hurricane of 1935, Hurricane Camille (1969), and Hurricane Andrew in August, 1992. The 1935 Labor Day Hurricane struck the Florida Keys with a minimum pressure of 892 mb--the lowest pressure ever observed in the United States. Hurricane Camille struck the Mississippi Gulf Coast causing a 25-foot storm surge, which inundated Pass Christian. Hurricane Andrew of 1992 made landfall over southern Miami-Dade County, Florida causing 26.5 billion dollars in losses--the costliest hurricane on record. In addition, Hurricane Gilbert of 1988 was a Category Five hurricane at peak intensity and is the strongest Atlantic tropical cyclone on record with a minimum pressure of 888 mb.

These are the 10 deadliest hurricanes in the United States, according to records kept since 1900. Damages are adjusted to 1990 dollars based on U.S. Department of Commerce construction cost indexes.

The National Weather Service began routinely using female names for hurricanes in 1953. In 1979 men's name were added. Category numbers are assigned according to the Saffir/Simpson hurricane scale, based on wind speeds within the storm.

Hurricane
Year Category $ Damages
1. Andrew 1992 4 $25,000,000,000
2. Hugo 1989 4 $7,155,120,000
3. Betsy 1965 3 $6,461,303,000
4. Agnes 1972 1 $6,418,143,000
5. Camille 1969 5 $5,242,380,000
6. Diane 1955 1 $4,199,645,000
7. Hurricane in New England 1938 3 $3,593,853,000
8. Frederic 1979 3 $3,502,942,000
9. Alicia 1983 3 $2,391,854,000
10. Carol 1954 3 $2,370,215,000

The 10 most intense hurricanes in the united States based on recorded pressure at time of landfall, according to records kept since 1900. The lower the pressure, the more intense the hurricane.

Hurricane • Year • Category • Pressure in inches/In millibars

1. Florida Keys 1935 5 26.35/892
2. Camille 1969 5 26.84/909
3. Andrew 1992 4 27.23/922
4. Florida Keys and S. Texas 1919 4 27.37/927
5. Lake Okeechobee, Fla. 1928 4 27.43/929
6. Donna 1960 4 27.46/930
7. Galveston, Texas 1990 4 27.49/931
7. Grand Isle, La. 1909 4 27.49/931
7. New Orleans, La., 1915 4 27.49/931
7. Carla 1961 4 27.49/931
8. Hugo 1989 4 27.58/934
9. Miami, Fla. 1926 4 27.61/935
10. Hazel 1954 4 27.70/938

These are the 10 deadliest hurricanes in the United States listing the numbers of deaths.

Hurricane

Year
Category
Deaths

1. Galveston, Texas 1900 4 6,000
2. Lake Okeechobee, Fla. 1928 4 1,836
3. Florida Keys and S. Texas 1919 4 600
4. New England 1938 3 600
5. Florida Keys 1935 5 408
6. Audrey 1957 4 390
7. Northeast Coast 1944 3 390
8. Grande Isle, La. 1909 4 350
9. New Orleans, La. 1915 4 275
10. Galveston, Texas 1915 4 275

As hurricane forecasting has improved, fewer human lives have been lost. But property damages keep going up as the economy levels and prices get higher.

 

HURRICANE INFORMATION ON THE INTERNET

National Hurricane Center / Tropical Prediction Center
National Hurricane Center site providing detailed location and forecasting of tropical storms and hurricanes.

http://www.nhc.noaa.gov/

Hurricane and Tropical Storm Tracking
Tracks hurricane and tropical storm activity for the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans. In English and Spanish.

http://hurricane.terrapin.com/

Hurricane Central
Updated 24 hours a day with the latest hurricane coordinates and data. Includes an interactive tracking...

http://www.sun-sentinel.com/storm/

Hurricane Hunters
Fly into the eye of a hurricane with the Air Force Reserve Hurricane Hunters.

http://www.hurricanehunters.com/

Miami Museum of Science-Hurricane Main Menu
CLICK on any title above to find out more about hurricanes. Or see the current weather data at the Miami Museum of Science. For current hurricane data, ...

http://www.miamisci.org/hurricane/

Hurricanes: An Online Meteorology Guide
Sequenced web sections covering definitions and mechanics of a hurricane, stages of development, physical...

http://ww2010.atmos.uiuc.edu/(Gh)/guides/mtr/hurr/home.rxml

Weather Underground Tropical
Atlantic satellite map, sea surface temperature and hurricane advisory providing links to weather...

http://www.wunderground.com/tropical/

weather.com - Hurricane Central: Today's Outlook
Hurricane warnings remain in effect of the Florida Gulf Coast but there is only the slimmest possibility that Alberto will become strong enough to become a ...

http://www.weather.com/newscenter/tropical/

Hurricanes
Storm surges are very dangerous and a major reason why you MUST stay away from the ocean during a hurricane warning or hurricane. ...

http://www.fema.gov/kids/hurr.htm

Tropical cyclone - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Hurricane Katrina encountering the Gulf Loop Current and Eddy Vortex. ... A tropical cyclone (or hurricane or typhoon) is a system with sustained winds ...

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hurricane

United States - Hurricane and Tropical Storm Reports
A HURRICANE WARNING IS IN EFFECT FOR THE GULF COAST OF FLORIDA FROM LONGBOAT KEY TO THE OCHLOCKONEE RIVER. A HURRICANE WARNING MEANS THAT HURRICANE ...

http://iwin.nws.noaa.gov/iwin/us/hurricane.html

HurrWarn National Hurricane Center, Warnings and Watches, Tracking ...
Hurricane Watches and Warnings, News, Storm Tracks, Broadcast Quality Satellite and Radar Imagery.

http://www.hurrwarn.com/

Hurricane Warning!
Hurricane Warning! will be a state of the art, innovative learning experience that will entertain visitors as they become immersed in educational ...

http://www.hurricanewarning.org/

National Weather Service
A Hurricane WARNING is in effect for the gulf coast of Florida from Longboat Key to the Ochlockonee River. A Tropical Storm WARNING is in effect south of ...

http://www.nws.noaa.gov/

Fla. issues hurricane warning, evacuations - Hurricane Watch ...
Tropical Storm Alberto could become a Category 1 hurricane, the National Hurricane Center said Monday as it issued a hurricane warning for northwest Florida ...

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13272123/

BBC NEWS | Americas | Florida given hurricane warning
US hurricane monitors issue a warning for parts of Florida's west coast as the first storm of the season approaches.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/americas/5072350.stm

BBC NEWS | World | Americas | Bahamas put on hurricane warning
The Bahamas and Florida are readying themselves for the latest savage hurricane to hit the region.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/3687938.stm

Hurricane Warning Issued Along Fla. Gulf Coast - New York Times
Evacuations were ordered in some areas as the season's first tropical storm intensified in the Gulf of Mexico.

http://www.nytimes.com/2006/06/12/us/11cnd-s ... ei=5088&partner=rssnyt&emc=rss

Hurricane Watch and Warning
Hurricane Watch and Warning - Hurricane Watch - A hurricane watch means residents in a designated coastal area could experience hurricane conditions w.

http://www.bobvila.com/HowTo_Library/Hurrica ... _Watch_and_Warning--T1252.html

Be Prepared For 2006 Hurricane Season
Release Date: March 13, 2006
Release Number: 1605-196

MONTGOMERY, Ala. -- With the June 1st start of hurricane season less than three months away, and work still being done to recover from the 2005 season, the U.S. Department of Homeland Security's Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) and Alabama Emergency Management Agency urges Alabamians to prepare early for the upcoming hurricane season.

While all Alabamians should have a plan for when natural disasters strike, those who live in mobile homes and travel trailers should be particularly alert to approaching tropical storms, hurricanes, and tornadoes. According to the 2000 census, over 300,000 families live in Alabama mobile homes, making the need for disaster preparedness a priority. Currently, FEMA is temporarily housing more than 6,400 people in travel trailers throughout the state.

Disaster preparedness begins with each family and household having a plan. FEMA recommends that you have a ready-to-go emergency kit that will allow you to survive unaided for three days. A kit should include the following:

First aid kit (including prescription medicines)
Food and water for up to 72 hours
Extra clothing and blankets
Flashlights and extra batteries
The following supplies are recommended:

NOAA Weather Radio and extra batteries
Whistle to signal for help
A camp stove with extra fuel
Foldable ladders for second-story escape in a fire
Photocopies of credit and identification cards
Food and Water

In addition to an emergency kit, families should be prepared with up to three days of food and water for each member. Basic foods, like canned foods, dry foods, and other non-perishable items are best to have because if electricity goes out, they will still be edible. Here are some tips:

Keep foods on hand that everyone in your family will like to eat
Avoid foods that are high in fat and protein
Don't stock salty foods, since they will make you thirsty
The average person requires two quarts of drinking water per day. Some individuals, like children or nursing mothers, may require more. A gallon per day for each person in your family is the recommended amount, say American Red Cross officials. If you are running low on water, don't ration. To lessen the amount you need, reduce your activity.

If water is unavailable from household sources, water from rain, streams or rivers, and natural springs can be used. However, water from any outdoor source must first be purified before it can be used for potable or hygienic purposes. Boiling, disinfecting (by means of adding 16 drops of bleach per gallon of water) and distillation are the three recommended methods of purification.

Be Ready to Evacuate

Mobile homes and travel trailers are particularly vulnerable to severe weather because of their instability. Since hurricanes can trigger quickly forming tornadoes, residents should be prepared to leave at a moments notice.

A mobile home can overturn very easily even if precautions have been taken to tie down the unit. When a tornado warning is issued, take shelter in a building with a strong foundation. If shelter is not available, lie in ditch or low-lying area a safe distance away from the unit. Never stay inside a mobile home or travel trailer if a tornado warning has been issued.

Evacuation is a real possibility that your family might face if a natural disaster threatens your home. Every family should have an emergency plan that outlines what to do, how to communicate with family members when evacuating, and how the family should re-connect in case they get separated.

Know the location and best route for evacuation out of the area
Practice your emergency evacuation plan with your family
Heed local and state-issued evacuation orders

Be ready to leave at a moment's notice
"Natural disasters are unpredictable, but if you are prepared, you and your family will know how to deal with them when they happen," said Federal Coordinating Officer Michael Bolch.

To learn more on how to prepare your family for the upcoming hurricane season, visit www.ready.gov or call 800-BE-READY. Materials, including supply kit suggested supplies and family communication plan templates are available on the website. The website also provides information on how to prepare for all disasters, including man-made and other natural disasters.

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