Subject: J1) Where can I get historical data of tropical cyclones? Contributed by Chris Landsea and Gary Gray - FREE DATA - (See www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/hurdat/Data_Storm.html for more info) HURDAT2 The offical track dataset for Atlantic tropical cyclones. (See www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/data_sub/re_anal.html for more info) - IBTrACS is NCDC's global dataset of tropical cyclone tracks that includes the most complete global set of historical tropical cyclone tracks culled from several different datasets with quality checks for consistency and to avoid duplication. (See www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/ibtracs/ for more info) - Unisys' weather site contains HURDAT information that has be rendered into graphic form by Unisys Corporation and includes a track graphic as well as an ASCII listing for each storm since 1851. (See weather.unisys.com/hurricane/index.html for more info) - NOAA's Coastal Services Center has put together a very nice interactive website which allows the user to search the HURDAT data base by location. You may select a major city or latitude and longitude and find how many storms of a particular strength and over particular ranges of time and proximity have approached that point. (See hurricane.csc.noaa.gov/hurricanes/index.html for more info) - The University of Hawai'i Storm Achive allows users to search tracks for the central Pacific in recent years. (See www.solar.ifa.hawaii.edu/Tropical/tropical.html for more info) - >NOT-FREE DATA - Global Tropical and Extratropical Cyclone Climatic Atlas (GTECCA) 2.0 CD-ROM: This single volume CD-ROM contains global historic tropical storm track data for five tropical storm basins. Period of record vary for each basin, beginning as early as the 1870's, with 1995 as the latest year. Northern hemispheric extratropical storm track data are included from 1965 to 1995. Tropical track data includes time, position, storm stage (maximum wind, central pressure when available). The user has the capability to display tracks, and to track data for any basin or user-selected geographic area. The user is also able to select storm tracks passing within a user-defined radius of any point. Narratives for all tropical storms for the 1980-1995 period are included along with basin-wide tropical storm statistics. (See www.ncdc.noaa.gov/oa/about/cdhints.html#ITEM7 for more info) Contact: National Centers for Environmental Information Federal Building 151 Patton Avenue Asheville, NC 28801-5001 USA (828)271-4876 email ncei.orders@noaa.gov>ncei.orders@noaa.gov. Last Revised: May 27, 2016 Subject: J2) What journals have regular articles on tropical cyclones? Contributed by Chris Landsea (NHC) The American Meteorological Society (AMS) publishes the Monthly Weather Review http://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/mwre/ which has annual summaries of Atlantic basin tropical cyclones, Atlantic basin tropical disturbances, and Northeast Pacific (east of 140W) basin tropical cyclones. These summaries have a substantial amount of data and analysis of the storms. Weatherwise prints annual summaries http://www.weatherwise.org of both the Atlantic and Northeast Pacific basins which are less technical than the Monthly Weather Review articles, but come out months earlier. Mariner's Weather Log has articles from all of the global basins http://www.vos.noaa.gov/mwl.shtml in annual summaries. These are descriptive and non-technical. For the tropical cyclones of the Southeast Indian/Australia and the Australia/Southwest Pacific basins, Australia's Bureau of Meteorology publishes Australia Meteorological and Oceanographic Journal has a very thorough annual summary. http://www.bom.gov.au/amm The Indian journal Mausam carries an annual summary of tropical cyclone activity over the North Indian Ocean. http://metnet.imd.gov.in/imdmausam/ In addition to these summaries, many other AMS journals publish scholarly articles about tropical cyclones, http://journals.ametsoc.org/ - AMS journals online especially these http://www.ametsoc.org/digitalbams/ - Bulletin of the AMS, http://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/clim - Journal of Climate, http://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/atsc - Journal of Atmospheric Sciences http://journals.ametsoc.org/loi/wefo - Weather and Forecasting International journals that often carry similar type articles are : Geophysical Research Letters http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1944-8007/issues Journal of the Meteorological Society of Japan http://www.jsate.jst.go.jp/browse/jmsj Nature http://www.nature.com/nature/index.html Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological Society http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1477-870X Science https://pubs.aaas.org/Promo/promo_setup_rd.asp?dmc=P3XFG&gclid=CNGCobSyl74CFaVQOgodhVoAmg Weather http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/journal/10.1002/(ISSN)1477-8696 Last Updated: May 5, 2014 Subject: J3) What books have been written about tropical cyclones? Contributed by Chris Landsea and Sim Aberson • BEST NON-TECHNICAL BOOKS: • Hurricanes: Their Nature and Impacts on Society
An excellent introductory text into hurricanes (and tropical cyclones in general), this book by R.A. Pielke, Jr. and R.A. Pielke, Sr. provides the basics on the physical mechanisms of hurricanes without getting into any mathematical rigor. The book also discusses hurricane policy, vulnerability and societal responses and ends with an in-depth look at Hurricane Andrew's forecast, impact and response. Roger A. Pielke, Jr. is a Sociologist at the Environmental and Societal Impacts Group at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado, USA. Roger A. Pielke, Sr. is a Professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University (USA).
John Wiley & Sons, Chichester, UK, 1997, 279 pp. • Meteorology Today for Scientists and Engineers
This paperback book is designed to accompany C. Donald Ahrens' introductory book "Meteorology Today." For a concise mathematical description of hurricanes that has NO calculus and NO differential equations, then I would suggest obtaining a copy of this book by Rolland B. Stull 
West Publ. Co., Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN, 2000, 385 pp.
Chapter 16 Hurricanes p.289-304. BEST TECHNICAL BOOK: • Global Perspectives on Tropical Cyclones: 
From Science to Mitigation
edited by Johnny C. L. Chan and Jeffrey D. Kepert
This book is a completely rewritten, updated and expanded new edition of the original Global Perspectives on Tropical Cyclones published in 1995. It presents a comprehensive review of the state of science and forecasting of tropical cyclones together with the application of this science to disaster mitigation, hence the tag: From Science to Mitigation. 
Since the previous volume, enormous progress in understanding tropical cyclones has been achieved. These advances range from the theoretical through to ever more sophisticated computer modeling, all underpinned by a vast and growing range of observations from airborne, space and ocean observation platforms. The growth in observational capability is reflected by the inclusion of three new chapters on this topic. The chapter on the effects of climate change on tropical cyclone activity is also new, and appropriate given the recent intense debate on this issue. The advances in the understanding of tropical cyclones which have led to significant improvements in forecasting track, intensity, rainfall and storm surge, are reviewed in detail over three chapters. For the first time, a chapter on seasonal prediction is included. The book concludes with an important chapter on disaster mitigation, which is timely given the enormous loss of life in recent tropical cyclone disasters.
World Scientific, 2010, 448 pp.ISBN: 978-981-4293-47-1 or 978-981-4293-48-8 (ebook). 

BEST FORECASTING MANUAL: • Global Guide to Tropical Cyclone Forecasting
For the tropical cyclone forecaster and also of general interest for anyone in the field and those with a non-technical interest in the field, the loose-leaf book - Global Guide to Tropical Cyclone Forecasting (1993) by G.J. Holland (ed.), World Meteorological Organization, WMO/TD-No. 560, Report No. TCP-31 is a must get. Again, the address of the WMO :a • World Meteorological Organization • Publications Sales Unit • Case Postale 2300 • CH-1211 Geneva 2 • Switzerland • 
BEST HISTORICAL BOOK: • North Carolina's Hurricane History • Florida's Hurricane History
These two books are an amazing documentaries of the hurricanes which have struck the states of North Carolina and Florida from 1526 until 1996 and 1546-1995, respectively. The author Jay Barnes - Director of the North Carolina Aquarium - tells the stories of the hurricanes and their effects upon the people of the state in an easily readable style with numerous photographs. 
University of North Carolina Press, Chapel Hill, NC, 1998, 330pp. OTHER BOOKS AVAILABLE: • Atlantic Hurricanes
A classic book describing tropical cyclones primarily of the Atlantic basin, but also covering the physical understanding of tropical cyclone genesis, motion, and intensity change at the time. Written in 1960, by Gordon E. Dunn and Banner I. Miller, this book provides insight into the knowledge of tropical cyclones as of the late 1950s. It is interesting to observe that much of what we know was well understood at this pre-satellite era. Gordon E. Dunn was the Director of the National Hurricane Center and Banner I. Miller was a research meteorologist with the National Hurricane Research Project.
Louisiana State Press, 1960, 326pp (revision 1964) • Hurricanes, Their Nature and History
Before Dunn and Miller's book, Ivan Ray Tannehill came out with an authoritative reference on the history, structure, climatology, historical tracks, and forecasting techniques of Atlantic hurricanes as was known by the mid-1930s. This is one of the first compilations of yearly tracks of Atlantic storms - he provides tracks of memorable tropical cyclones all the way back to the 1700s and shows all the storm tracks yearly from 1901 onward. The first edition came out in 1938 and the book went through at least nine editions (my book was published in 1956). Mr. Tannehill was engaged in hurricane forecasting for over 20 years and also lead the Division of Synoptic Reports and Forecasts of the U.S. Weather Bureau. 
Princeton University Press, 1956, 308 pp. • A Global View of Tropical Cyclones
(A revised version of this book is Global Perspectives on Tropical Cyclones listed above.)
A very thorough book dealing with the technical issues of tropical cyclones for the state of the science in the mid-1980s by Elsberry, Holland, Frank, Jarrell, and Southern. 
University of Chicago Press, 1987,195 pp. • The Hurricane
(1997 revision titled "Hurricanes: Their Nature and Impacts on Society" by Pielke and Pielke is listed above.) 
A very good introductory text into hurricanes (and tropical cyclones in general), this book by R.A. Pielke provides the basics on the physical mechanisms of hurricanes without getting into any mathematical rigor. This first version is just 100 pages of text with another 120 pages devoted toward all of the tracks of Atlantic hurricanes from 1871-1989. Roger A. Pielke is a professor of Atmospheric Science at Colorado State University. 
Routledge Publishing, New York, 1990, 279 pp. (revision 1997) • Hurricanes
An introductory text book for young readers on hurricanes by Sally Lee. 
Franklin Watts Publishing, New York, 1993, 63 pp. • Cyclone Tracy, Picking up the Pieces
Twenty years after Cyclone Tracy, this book recreates, by interviews with survivors, the events during and after the cyclone that nearly destroyed Darwin, Australia by B. Bunbury 
Fremantle Arts Centre Press, South Fremantle, Australia, 1994, 148 pp. • Beware the Hurricane!
This book tells "the story of the cyclonic tropical storms that have struck Bermuda and the Islanders' folk-lore regarding them" by Terry Tucker. 
The Island Press Limited, Bermuda, 1995, 180 pp. • Florida Hurricanes and Tropical Storms, Revised Edition
This recent book provides a historical perspective of Florida Hurricanes extending from 1871 to 1996 by J.M. Williams and I. W. Duedall 
Florida Sea Grant College Program, University of Florida Press, Gainesville, FL, 1997, 146 pp. • Hurricanes of the North Atlantic
This book by J. B. Elsner and A. B. Kara focuses on the statistics and variability of Atlantic hurricanes as well as detailed discussions on how hurricanes impact the insurance industry and how integrated assessments can be made regarding these storms. The book provides very valuable information on hurricane frequencies, intensities and return periods that are not easily available elsewhere. Also sections are devoted on the development of seasonal (and longer) hurricane forecast models and their performance. 
Oxford University Press, New York/Oxford, 1999, 488 pp. • Natural Disasters - Hurricanes
This reference book by P. J. Fitzpatrick provides a very useful compilation of a wide range of topics on Atlantic hurricanes. Of particular interest is the chronology of advances in the science and forecasting of hurricanes along with biographcial sketches of researchers and forecasters prominent in the field. This book is an excellent resource in answering questions on many issues in the field. 
ABC-CLIO, Santa Barbara, CA, 1999, 286 pp. • Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1851-2006
Researchers and those who follow Atlantic hurricanes should all have a copy of the atlas. Previous versions:
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1998
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1992
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1986
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1980
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1977
Tropical Cyclones of the North Atlantic Ocean, 1871-1963
North Atlantic Tropical Cyclones, 1886-1958
National Climatic Data Center, Asheville, NC, in cooperation with the Tropical Prediction Center/National Hurricane Center, Miami, FL, 2006, 238 pp. • Hurricanes and Florida Agriculture
Dr. John A. Attaway, former Scientific Research Director of the Florida Department of Citrus, wrote this well-researched history and litany of the impacts that hurricanes have had upon agriculture in Florida. 
Florida Science Source, Inc., Lake Alfred, FL, 1999, 444 pp. • Into the Hurricane 
(Published in Britain as "The Devil's Music")
Author Pete Davies spent the summer of 1999 looking at Atlantic hurricanes, traveling to Honduras to see the aftermath of Hurricane Mitch, and flying on research missions with NOAA's Hurricane Research Division. He explores the science of why the storms occur and how to predict them, and recounts the impacts of Hurricane Floyd.
Henry Holt and Company. 2000, 264 pp., ISBN: 0-8050-6574-1. Last Revised : May 26, 2011 Subject: J4) What fictional books, plays, poems, and movies have been written involving tropical cyclones? Contributed by Neal Dorst (HRD) There is an undeniable drama to hurricanes; their massive scale affecting the lives of thousands, the foreshadowing of impending doom, and their ponderous pace as they approach the shore. This has made them ideal plot elements in many fictional works. Below is an admittedly partial list of some novels, plays, poems, and movies which have used hurricanes as a major dramatic element. - The Tempest (1611) by William Shakespeare Inspired by a 1609 hurricane which shipwrecked the Sea View on the island of Bermuda, in the opening act Prospero magically conjures up a sea storm to bring a ship to his island exile. - "Wreck Of The Hesperus" (1839) By Henry Wadsworth Longfellow Although the old Sailor "fears a hurricane" the storm in this poem is more likely a nor'easter. - St. Thomas (A Geographical Survey) (1871) by Bret Harte In this short poem, the elements object to being surveyed and the 'black-browed Hurricane' conspires with Mountain and Sea to submerge the island of St. Thomas. In reality, the hapless island had suffered a devastating hurricane in 1867 followed by an earthquake and tsunami. - Chita : A memory of Last Island (1889) by Lafcadio Hearn In this novella a young Cajun girl survives the 1856 hurricane that wiped out the resort on Last Island and is raised by a Spanish fisherman on the Louisiana coast. - The Ballad of the Calliope (1897) by A.B. "Banjo" Paterson Author of "The Man from Snowy River", 'Banjo' Pateson penned this poem celebrating the HMS Calliope survivng a typhoon during a show-down with German and American ships in a struggle over Samoa. - Son of the Carolinas (1898) by Elizabeth Carpenter Satterthwait A story of a hurricane striking the Sea Islands off the Georgia coast. Noted for its use of the native Gulla dialect. - Wed by Mighty Waves (1901) by Sue Greenleaf A romantic novel set against the horrors of the Galveston hurricane. - Typhoon (1903) by Joseph Conrad In this short story a steamer blunders into the teeth of a typhoon in the South China Sea. - Hurricane in Galveston (1913) directed by King Vidor A Galveston native, King Vidor survived the 1900 hurricane when he was six years old. His directorial debut was this one reeler when he was nineteen, recounting the horric storm. He wrote a fictional account of it entitled "Southern Storm" in the May 1935 issue of Esquire magazine, four months prior to the Labor Day hurricane. Sim Aberson brought this to our attention. - Porgy (1925) by DuBose and Dorothy Heyward A novel recounting the life of a crippled street beggar in Charleston, SC. The Heywards produced it as a play in 1927, and collaborated with George and Ira Gershwin to turn it into the opera "Porgy and Bess" in 1935. A major turning point in the opera comes when a hurricane pummels Catfish Row and kills several of the characters, changing everyone's lives. A movie based on the opera was released in 1959, directed by Otto Preminger, and a televised version was produced by the BBC in 1993. - The Cradle of the Deep (1929) by Joan Lowell At first published as a true life account of Lowell's 16 years aboard a copra trade ship, complete with her rescuing kittens when the ship burnt up off the coast of Australia, the book soon came under attack as almost entirely fiction, especially when the ship turned up safe and sound in Oakland. In her defense, Lowell made a 1934 movie entitled "Adventure Girl" based on her book, directed by Herman C. Raymaker, in which she hunts for Mayan treasure and battles a hurricane off the coast of Guatemala. This convinced no one. Sim Aberson also dug up this old bone of contention. - China Seas (1935) directed by Tay Garnett Based on a novel by Crosbie Garstin. Clark Gable stars as a ship captain plying the Hong Kong-Singapore trade, torn between Jean Harlow and Rosalind Russell. In addition to fighting off Malay pirates, he must pilot his ship through a typhoon. Twenty years later Gable would return to Hong Kong to star in "Soldier of Fortune" (1955) where he romances Susan Hayward as a typhoon rakes the city. The storm here is more of a metaphor and appears on screen like a bad squall line. - Hurricane (1935) by Charles Nordhoff and James Norman Hall The duo that wrote the "Mutiny on the Bounty" trilogy reunited to bring us this tale of a devastating typhoon in French Polynesia which alters hurricane movie poster the lives of the residents of the island of Manukura. This novel was made into a movie twice, once in 1938 starring Dorothy Lamour and Jon Hall and a remake in 1979 with Mia Farrow and Dayton Ka'ne. The first effort had a musical hit with the song "The Moon of Manukura". The 1979 remake inspired the end of Dayton Ka'ne's movie career. In order to capitalize on the first film's popularity, Lamour was cast in "Her Jungle Love", where a typhoon strands Ray Milland on her island, and then costarred her with Robert Preston in Paramount's "Typhoon" (not based on the Conrad story) in 1940. In 1951, Jon Hall was back with Marie Windsor in "Hurricane Island", where a shaman conjures up a hurricane as a revenge on Juan Ponce de Leon and the gang. - Hurricane (1935) by Vance Palmer Australian novelist Vance Palmer, in the wake of a 1934 cyclone which struck Queensland, uses such a storm as a plot device for the main character's development. Thanks to Chrystopher Spicer for his insights about this novel. - Their eyes were watching God (1937) by Zora Neale Hurston The principle characters survive the Lake Okeechobee hurricane of 1928 only to suffer the devastating aftermath. Made into a TV movie in 2005 starring Halle Berry and Michael Ealy. - The Second Hurricane (1937) music by Aaron Copeland, libretto by Edwin Denby A two act opera written for high school performers (The Company Music School of the Henry Street Settlements). A group of students is sent to aid in rescue efforts after a hurricane, only to be caught by the storm surge of a second hurricane. The kids have to learn cooperation in order to survive. - In hazard (1938) by Richard Hughes Based on the travails of the Archimedes, a cargo ship caught in a hurricane in the Caribbean Sea. - Typhoon Treasure (1938) directed by Noel Monkman The solitary survivor of a pearling ship wrecked by a cyclone seeks to retrieve the ship's cargo, braving the jungle and headhunters. Shot in Queensland and along the Great Barrier Reef. - When Tomorrow Comes (1939) directed by John Stahl Charles Boyer, a concert pianist, and Irene Dunne, a union organizer, are trapped in a church by the storm surge of the Great New England hurricane, and must come to grips with their relationship. Won an Oscar© for Best Sound, no doubt for the hurricane's wind. - Storm (1941) by George R. Stewart Actually this novel is not about a hurricane, but an extratropical cyclone. However, I give it an honorable mention here since it depicts a Junior Meteorologist who has a personal habit of naming storms. This helped to popularize the idea of naming hurricanes. It was made into a Disney TV movie "A Storm named Maria" in 1958, and inspired the song "They Call the Wind Maria" from 1951's Lerner and Lowe play "Paint Your Wagon". - Cyclone (1947) by Vance Palmer The Australian novelist revists tropical cyclones and their impact in this fictional account of a cyclone similar to the one in 1934,in which he lost a friend, devastates the Queensland fishing fleet. Thanks to Chrystopher Spicer for this entry. - Key Largo (1948) by Richard Brooks Directed by John Huston This movie starred Humphrey Bogart and Lauren Bacall and was loosely based on a 1939 play by Maxwell Anderson. Mobster Edward G. Robinson holds several people hostage in a Keys' hotel as a hurricane bares down on them. - Slattery's Hurricane (1949) by Herman Wouk Set in post-World War 2 Miami, a man seeks redemption by flying a hurricane reconnaissance mission for a Navy buddy. The movie opened in 1949 with Richard Widmark and Veronica Lake. It proved popular enough for Wouk to serialize the script for magazine publication, and in 1951 it was released in paperback. - The Caine Mutiny (1951) by Herman Wouk The climactic scene aboard the USS Caine takes places as Halsey's fleet has its fatal run-in with Typhoon Cobra. Wouk adapted his novel in 1953 into a play starring Lloyd Noland and John Hodiak and for the movies in 1954 with Humphrey Bogart and Van Johnson. - Thunder Bay (1953) directed by Anthony Mann Jimmy Stewart is an engineer building an oil drilling platform off the Louisiana shore. He rides out a hurricane on his platform to see if it can stand the stress. - Hurricane Road (1954) by Nora K. Smiley and Louise V. White A Novel of a Railroad that Went to Sea. Fictional account of the building of Henry Flager's railroad to Key West, and the devastating hurricane in 1906 which nearly destroyed it and the Labor Day hurricane in 1935 which did. - Target Hurricane (1955) directed by Leigh Jason An episode of Science Fiction Theater starring Marshall Thompson and Ray Collins. A meteorologist is determined to discover the mysteries of a hurricane, even if he has to send a submarine to discover why it formed. Originally broadcast on Oct. 22, 1955. - Ferry to Hong Kong (1959) directed by Lewis Gilbert This time it's Orson Welles as the ship captain who battles pirates and a typhoon in the South China Sea. The question remains, do pirates cause typhoons or visa versa? - A Journey to Matecumbe (1961) by Robert Lewis Taylor Tells the tale of two young men traveling the post-bellum South to search for their fortunes in the Florida Keys. Along the way they dodge Klansmen and survive a hurricane. This was adapted by Disney Studios in 1976 into the film "Treasure of Matecumbe" starring Robert Foxworth and Joan Hackett. - Hurricane Hannah (1962) narrated by Bob Cummings After the success of "A Storm named Maria" in 1958, The Wonderful World of Disney made another TV episode about a fictional Hurricane Hannah. They used actual footage shot of Hurricane Carla from civilian Hurricane Hunter aircraft, as well as footage of the National Hurricane Research Project and National Hurricane Center. Joel Bader reminded us to include this one. - Wyatt's Hurricane (1966) by Desmond Bagley Set on a lush Caribbean island, meteorologist David Wyatt knows that Hurricane Mabel will hit despite what the forecast says. Throw in a political revolution and some romance and you've got a mid-60's suspense novel. - Castle Ugly: A Love Story (1966) by Mary Ellin Barrett Irving Berlin's daughter, in her first novel, tells the story of a woman haunted by her childhood home and its associated memmories with the "Long Island Express" of 1938. Thanks to Lourdes Aviles for bringing this to our attention. - Under the Eye of the Storm (1967) by John Hersey Two couples sail their yawl into the heart of a hurricane and into the stormy seas of their relationships. Thanks to Joel Bader for mentioning this one. - A Boatload of Home Folk (1968) by Thea Astley A tour boat full of conflicted people must come to terms with their personal problems as a tropical storm bears down on their ship and the island its anchored at. My gratitude to Chrystopher Spicer for pointing this one out. - Hurricane in the Keys (1968) by Henry Hayes Stansbury This self-published novel tells of a Category Five hurricane threatening the Florida Keys and the President of the United States' decision to order the seeding of the storm. - Devil Walks on Water (1969) by John F. Murray A novel based on accounts of survival from the 1938 New England hurricane. - On the Wings of the Storm (1969) by Richard Newhafer A heist caper set in Palm Beach as Hurricane Margo threatens. Thanks to Christine McGehee for bringing this gem to our attention. - Marooned (1969) directed by John Sturges Three Apollo astronauts are trapped in their orbiting capsule when the re-entry rockets fail, so Gregory Peck (NASA) must launch David Jansen's rescue rocket in the eye of a hurricane. Lampooned by Mystery Science Theater 3000. "I love the Weather Channel." - Hurricane Alert (1970) by Walter T. Donovan A Florida county Civil Defense director must battle political corruption as Hurricane Hanna looms in this 'gut grabber'. - Hurricane Hunters (1972) by William C. Anderson This novel concentrates on the lives and loves of Air Force Hurricane Hunter pilots. It was adapted into a made-for-TV movie in 1974 called "Hurricane" starring Martin Milner and Frank Sutton. - The Eye of the Storm (1973) by Patrick White White won the Nobel Prize for Literature for this novel in which an aged, controlling matriarch recalls her life from her deathbed, including a life changing encounter with a cyclone. This novel was adapted in 2011 into an Australian film directed by Fred Schepisi and starring Geoffery Rush and Charlotte Rampling. Thanks to Chrystopher Spicer for bringing this one to our attention. - Condominium (1977) by John MacDonald Residents of a condo in southwest Florida are beset by unscrupulous real estate developers, faulty construction, and a Gulf hurricane. This was adapted into a 1980 TV movie starring Barbara Eden and Steve Forrest - Cat Five (1977) by Robert P. Davis. As a Category Five hurricane menaces ritzy Palm Beach, hurricane researchers are torn apart by a blistering love triangle. OK, this one made me laugh. - Storm Center (1983) by Elizabeth Verner Hamilton Novel based on her family's accounts of surviving the Great Hurricane of 1893 hitting Charleston, SC. - Prospero Drill (1984) by Carl A. Posey A former NOAA Public Affairs Officer, Posey penned this roman à clef about hurricane researchers seeding a hurricane off Cuba, and Castro's huffy response. Thanks to Jack Parrish and Paul Flaherty for pointing this one out. A classic. - Cyclone Tracy (1986) directed by Donald Crombie and Kathy Mueller A three-part Australian TV mini-series that deals with Cyclone Tracy and its effects on Darwin residents after its landfall on Christmas Eve of 1974. Noted for the special effects of the storm during part two. Thanks to Chrystopher Spicer for mentioning this to us. - Mother of Storms (1994) by John Barnes When someone sets off a series of underwater explosions it releases large quantities of methane from melting methal hydrates, which in turn triggers global warming and hyper-hurricanes. The only hope lies with an astronaut with a brain the size of a small planet, who shields the Earth from the sun until things cool down. - Stormy Weather (1996) by Carl Hiassen In this novel inspired by Hurricane Andrew, people's lives in the wake of a devastating hurricane are further stressed by con men, shady contractors, and a former Lt. Governor. - One August Day (1998) by Charlotte Morgan Revisits Hurricane Camille in 1969 and its impact on the lives of the people of the Gulf Coast. - Gingerbread Man (1998) directed by Robert Altman A group of people in Savannah are trapped by a hurricane as an asylum escapee, Robert Duval, threatens to have his revenge on them. - Virus (1999) directed John Bruno A tugboat crew seeks refuge during a typhoon onboard a Russian research ship only to find it occupied by aliens who view humanity as a virus that they try to exterminate. Stars Jamie Lee Curtis and William Baldwin in the title roles. Another gem found by Sim Aberson. - Storm Tracker (1999) directed Harris Done This made-for-TV movie stars Martin Sheen as a renegade Air Force general, and Luke Perry as a University of Miami meteorology professor who gets involved in the general's project to control hurricanes. - Second Wind (1999) by Dick Francis Francis takes a break from the horsey set to spin a yarn about a BBC TV meteorologist who goes on a hurricane hunting joy ride. - Windows on Heaven (2000) by Ron Rozelle A novel based on accounts from the 1900 Galveston hurricane in which over 8000 people perished. - Gale Force (2002) directed by Jim Wynorski The safety of contestants in a TV reality show on a tropical islands are threatened by both the producer and a Category 5 hurricane. Thanks to Sim Aberson for finding this one. - Zero Hour (2003) by Benjamin E. Miller Antarctica is melting and its suddenly warm waters threaten to spawn a super hurricane. A world famous MIT professor is consulted about his theory on hypercanes, and somethings up with those wacky penguins. - Shutter Island (2003) by Dennis Lehane In 1954, U.S. Marshal Teddy Daniels investigates an inmate's disappearance from a hospital for the criminally insane on the title island when his pursuit of the truth is disrupted by Hurricane Carol. This novel was made into a 2010 movie directed by Martin Scorsese and starring Leonardo DiCaprio and Ben Kingsley. - Hurricane : Of the 1900 Galveston Hurricane (2004) by Janice A. Thompson An inspirational novel about the people of Galveston surviving the hurricane of 1900 and rebuilding their city. - Hurricane 38 (2004) by Gaylord Meech Based on news accounts and family letters, this novel is about people trapped by the Great New England hurricane of 1938. - Cat 5 (2004) by R. D. Dilday Global warming has forced the U.S. Government to form the Department of Weather and make a ruthless TV weatherman its new Secretary. Meanwhile, a disgraced former Director of NHC investigates paleotempestology which may or may not have a bearing on coffee futures. Then a Cat 5 hurricane takes aim at Catalina Island. Yeah, the one in California.
  • Cat 6 poster Category 6: Day of Destruction (2004) Directed by Matt Dorff This CBS made-for-TV movie starring Thomas Gibson and Nancy McKeon was originally supposed to be about a big power blackout crippling Chicago (original title "Overload"), but after the active 2004 hurricane season, they threw in a hurricane (Cat 6 over Lake Michigan), tornadoes, and Randy Quaid as a tornado chaser. A laugh riot. - Storm Chasers (2004) by Paul Quarrington A professional storm chaser flies into Dampier Cay to videograph an on- coming hurricane, where he crosses paths with various losers seeking refuge in the storm from their sorry lives. - Whirlwind (2004) by Michael Grant Jaffe A North Carolina TV weatherman finds fame and fortune after he pulls a 'Dan Rather' during Hurricane Isabel, and tries to pull his life out of the toilet. - Category Five (2005) by Philip S. Donlay A mystery man founds a scientific organization called Eco-Watch. When he flies its jet into a hurricane with 300 mph winds and gets trapped in the eye he must come clean about his past in order to save the day. - 14 Hours (2005) directed by Greff Chanpion A made-for-TV movie based very loosely on the evacuation of patients from a Houston hospital as Tropical Storm Allison threatens to inundate the area. Sim Aberson brought this one to our attention.
  • Cat 7 poster Category 7: The End of the World (2005) Directed by Dick Lowry CBS must've felt "Category 6" wasn't bad enough, so they made this sequel. Randy Quaid's "Tornado Tommy" is the only character brought back for the follow-up, which is ironic since his was the only main character in the original to die. Falling chunks of the mesosphere combine with urban heat islands to spawn global spanning superstorms (huh???). The best part of this pre-Katrina film is the ending when Gina Gershon assures the public that FEMA will be there to help them when disaster strikes. - Invasion (2005-6) Directed by Thomas Schlamme The ABC television series is set in Homestead, FL following a devastating hurricane, which has released a race of alien, glow-in-the-dark squid creatures that turn Air Force Hurricane Hunters into superhuman hybrids. The series was cancelled after its initial season, with no resolution to the question, "Does global warming cause more squid people?" Thanks to Sim Aberson for reminding us to include this one. - Der Untergang der Pamir (2006) Directed by Kaspar Heidelbach "The Loss of the Pamir" is a fictional account of the sinking of the German sailing ship Pamir in Hurricane Carrie in 1957. Danke Herr Docktor Aberson fur diesen Eintritt. - Katrina's Wake (2006) Directed by Kathilynn Phillips A fictional account of a family trapped in their attic by the flood waters following Katrina in New Orlean's Ninth Ward. Again, thanks to Sim Aberson for pointing this one out. - Honeymoon Hurricane (2006) by Pamela Rowan Several people, including a honeymoon couple, head to Sanibel Island for vacation only to be trapped there durring a hurricane. - Hurricane (2006) by Karen Harper Two single parents desperately try to find their children as a hurricane swerves to menace their southwest Florida community. - Hurricane Hannah (2006) by Sue Civil-Brown A female jet pilot named Hannah makes an emergency landing on a small tropical island, and must wait out the passage of Hurricane Hannah while becoming familiar with the excentric locals. - The Mote in Andrea's Eye (2006) by David Niall Wilson Storm seeders battle a monster hurricane, but it disappears into the Bermuda Triangle, along with the seeding plane. - Superstorm (2007) Directed by Julian Simpson A made-for-BBC movie, starring Tom Sizemore and Nicola Stephenson. In the future, global warming has spawned larger, more devastating hurricanes. Project StormShield is formed to, once again, investigate modifying hurricanes. However, someone seems determined to use their technology even if the scientists have moral quandries. The special effects make the hurricanes look like really nasty low-precip supercells. Originally a three parter on the BBC, it was trimmed to two hours when rebroadcast in the US by the Discovery Channel. Thanks to Julian Heming for notifying us about this. - Windstorm and Flood: a novel (2007) by Rosalind Brackenbury Set in Key West, where weather and Cuban politics mix. - Rebel Island (2007) by Rick Riordan Yet another honeymoon couple are trapped on an island as a monster hurricane looms. This time they must solve a murder mystery and confront their past before the storm strikes. And you thought buying plywood before a hurricane was tough. - Category 7 (2007) by Bill Evans and Marianna Jameson An ex-CIA meteorologist carries out clandestine weather modification experiments while his old organization tries to track down the eco-terrorist manipulating hurricanes. In retribution for past budget cuts, the ex-CIA man sends a Cat 5 hurricane toward New York City (it would've been a Cat 7, but the Saffir-Simpson scale doesn't go that high.) And the USAF 53rd WRS upgrades to P-3s. Thanks to Paul Flaherty for finding this one. - Acts of Nature (2007) by Jonathon King A PI and his police girlfriend find their vacation at a Florida fishcamp interuppted by a hurricane, scavengers, and gunmen. - Blown Away! (2007) by Joan Hiatt Harlow A boy growing up in the Florida Keys befriends a local fisherman and courts the new girl in town, until the Labor Day Hurricane blows his life apart. - Elevator (2008) by Angela Hunt A trio of women (the wife, the mistress, and the cleaning woman) are trapped in an elevator as Hurricane Felix menaces Tampa, Florida. - Hurricane: a novel (2008) by Terry Trueman Based on the devastation Hurricane Mitch wrought on Honduras as seen through the eyes of a young man. - Babylon Rolling : a novel (2008) by Amanda Boyden New Orleans neighbors must confront their prejudices as Hurricane Ivan threatens the city. - Carpentaria (2008) by Alexis Wright A blend of myth and reality, life on the coast of the Gulf of Carpentaria in northern Australia is told from the persective of the Aboriginal inhabitants. The town of Desperance is ravaged by two cyclones, which alter people's lives as much as they do the scenery. Our gratitude goes to Chrystopher Spicer for alerting us to this quirky novel. - City of Refuge : a novel (2008) by Tom Piazza New Orleans families must make fatefull decisions as Hurricane Katrina threatens the city. - The Devil's Eye (2008) by Ian Townsend From Down Under, a novel about Cyclone Mahina, which smashed the perling fleet anchored in Bathurst Bay in Queensland in 1899. - The Killing Storm (2010) by Kathryn Casey A Sarah Armstorng Mystery - A Texas Ranger hunts for a missing boy and a cattle rustler as a hurricanes closes in on Houston. - Hurricanes in Paradise (2010) by Denise Hildreth The director of guest relations at a posh Bahamian hotel begins a journey of healing with friends when a hurricane heads for the island. - The House on Salt Hay Road (2010) by Carin Clevidence The explosion of a fireworks factory on Long Island sets in motion turmoil in an extended family that then has to deal with the 1938 hurricane and looming World War. Thanks to Lourdes Aviles for mentioning this one. - Eyewall : A novel (2011) by H. W. "Buzz" Bernard A former Weather Channel meteorologist penned this tome about a hurricane threatening the Georgia coast that unexpectedly revs up to Cat 5 strength while a USAF recon plane is trapped in its eye. A network TV weathercaster is fired before he can warn the residents of St. Simons Island. A "White-knuckle ride." - Daniel fights a hurricane : a novel (2011) by Shane Jones A man retreats to the forrest to face his boyhood fear of hurricanes, but they follow him there. - A Wedding to Remember in Charleston, South Carolina (2012) by Annalisa Daugherty A wedding planner is trapped in a coastal hotel with her estranged husband and an odd collection of tourists. Can she mend their marrige before the storm tears everything apart? - Hurakan (2012) by Michael F. Stewart A woman attempts to save her daughter from being sacrificed to an ancient Mayan god while surviving in the jungles of Belize during a hurricane. - Fly on the Wall (2012) by Mike Hirsh A Fly Moscone Mystery- A murderer may have used Hurricane Charley to cover their tracks in an art heist gone bad. Set in Punta Gorda, someone else is taking pot shots at the insurance adjusters swarming over the town in the wake of the Cat Four storm. Thanks to Max Mayfield for finding this one. - Taken by Storm (2013) by Kelli Maine Fighting against their passion for each other, a couple find shelter from a hurricane in each others arms. Which is not a very solid hurricane plan. - Come Landfall (2014) by Roy Hoffman Three Gulf Coast women share their stories about the men, wars, and hurricanes that shaped their lives. - Life Support (2014) by Candace Calvert Nurses and physicians get tangled in romantic complications as a hurricane bares down on their Houston hospital. "Can hope weather the storm?" - Hurricane Fever (2014) by Tobias Buckell A former intelligence agent must dodge hurricanes on his catamaran while raising his nephew and solving a mystery left by the death of a fellow spy. Last Revised: May 7, 2014 Subject: J5) What refereed articles were written in recent years about tropical cyclones? Contributed by Chris Landsea Go here for each year: http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1991.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1992.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1993.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1994.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1995.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1996.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1997.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1998.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs1999.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2000.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2001.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2002.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2003.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2004.html http://www.aoml.noaa.gov/hrd/tcfaq/tcpubs2005.html Subject: J6) What are some important dates in the history of hurricanes and hurricane research ? Contributed by Neal Dorst (HRD) Hurricane Timeline - 1494 During his second voyage, Christopher Columbus shelters his fleet from a tropical cyclone. This is the first written European account of a hurricane. - 1502 During his fourth voyage Columbus warns the governor of Santo Domingo of an approaching hurricane, but is ignored. A Spanish treasure fleet sets sail and loses 20 ships with 500 men. - 1565 A French fleet sent to support Ft. Caroline is devastated by a hurricane. The Spaniards at St. Augustine massacre the colonists at Ft. Caroline ensuring Spanish control of East Florida. - 1609 The British ship Sea Venture is damaged by a hurricane but manages to find refuge on uninhabited Bermuda archipelago. The islands become a British colony. - 1635 The Great Colonial Hurricane strikes the young Massachusetts Bay and Plymouth colonies. - 1667 The Dreadful Hurricane strikes the Virginia colonies. - 1702 A severe storm (possibly a hurricane) strikes England. Daniel Defoe gathers eyewitness accounts and publishes them in "The Storm". - 1743 A hurricane prevents Ben Franklin from observing a lunar eclipse in Philadelphia. When he later learns his brother in Boston experienced the storm much later, he surmises that hurricanes don't move in the direction that the winds are blowing. Also, Professor Winthrop of Harvard makes first pressure and tide observations during this hurricane. - 1780 The Great Hurricane leaves over 22,000 dead across the Antilles. - 1815 Professor Farrar of Harvard observes winds as a hurricane, known as the 'Great September Gale', passes Boston and concludes that the storm is a large, moving vortex. - 1821 William Redfield observes counter-clockwise pattern to damage across Connecticut following a hurricane. - 1831 Redfield publishes his observation of 1821 hurricane damage and theorizes storms are large, moving votices. He begins compiling hurricane tracks. A major hurricane strikes Barbados. Lt. Col William Reid of the Royal Engineers is sent to survey the damage. - 1837 Racer's Hurricane devastates much of the Gulf coast. - 1838 Reid publishes his "Law of Storms" which advises mariners on how to avoid a hurricane at sea. - 1847 Reid establishes a hurricane warning network in Barbados. - 1848 The Smithsonian Museum organizes a network of weather observers across the United States and its territories. - 1855 Andres Poey publishes a chronology of over 400 hurricanes since the time of Columbus. - 1856 A hurricane wipes out the resort on Last Island, Louisiana. - 1865 Manila Observatory is founded in the Philippines with Fr. Faura as its first director. Begins study of typhoons and creates an observing network. - 1870 Fr. Benito Viñes becomes head of Meteorological Observatory at Belen College in Havana, and begins research on hurricanes. He establishes an observing network across Cuba. The United States Government forms its National Weather Service under Army's Signal Service. - 1873 The National Weather Service issues its first hurricane warning. - 1875 Viñes issues his first hurricane warning. - 1877 Viñes publishes "Relative Points of the Hurricanes of the Antilles in September and October of 1875 and 1876", in which he details using waves and cloud motions to forecast hurricanes. - 1879 Faura makes first typhoon forecast. - 1890 U.S. Weather Bureau established from Army's National Weather Service. Made a civilian agency under the Department of Agriculture. - 1893 The dealiest hurricane year in U.S. history, as the "Sea Islands" hurricane kills 1000 to 2000 people, the "Chenier Caminada" hurricane causes about 2000 deaths, and another major hurricane strikes the Carolinas in mid-October. - 1897 Fr. Algue' publishes book cataloging and categorizing typhoon tracks. - 1898 The U.S. Weather Bureau establishes a hurricane warning center at Kingston, Jamaica. After the Spanish-American War it's moved to Havana. Viñes' "Investigations Relating to the Circulation and Cyclonic Translation of Hurricanes of the Antilles" published by U.S. Weather Bureau. - 1900 A devastating hurricane strikes Galveston resulting in over 8000 deaths (or perhaps as many as 12,000). Edward Garriott writes USWB Bulletin H "West Indian Hurricanes" based mostly on Viñes' work. - 1902 Weather Bureau moves its hurricane forecast center from Havana to Washington, DC. - 1906 Cuba establishes its National Observatory under its Navy. Assumes hurricane warning duties from Belen Observatory. - 1909 Grand Isle, LA is struck by a major hurricane, killing 350 people. - 1910 Cyclone of the Five Days ravages western Cuba twice. At first Belen scientists believe it to be two seperate hurricanes, but Jose Carlos Millas theorizes it was the same storm looping in the Yucatan Channel. - 1913 Oliver Fassig publishes "Hurricanes of the West Indies". - 1919 Sakuhei Fujiwara notes that hurricanes move with the larger scale synoptic flow. Over 600 deaths are caused by a hurricane striking the Florida Keys and then Corpus Christi, Texas. Storm surge leaves lasting impression on young Robert Simpson. - 1921 Fujiwara publishes paper on the interaction of two tropical cyclones noting what becomes known as the "Fujiwara Effect". - 1922 Edward Bowie observes that most hurricanes move anti-cyclonically around the subtropical ridge. - 1924 Charles Mitchell publishes "West Indies Hurricanes and other Tropical Cyclones" in Monthly Weather Review. Traces many hurricanes to disturbances near Cape Verde Islands. - 1926 Issac Cline publishes his major book "Tropical Cyclones". The Great Miami hurricane crashes into Florida causing tremendous damage and a month later another hurricane strikes Havana causing over 600 casualties. - 1928 The Lake Okeechobee hurricane kills nearly 2500 people. Also known as the 'San Felipe' hurricane in Puerto Rico where it killed over 300 people. - 1935 The Weather Bureau revamps its hurricane warning service, and divides responsibilities between New Orleans, Jacksonville, San Juan, and Washington, DC. Boston is added later. The Labor Day hurricane hits the Florida Keys with over 400 killed. This is the most intense hurricane to have been recorded in the U.S. - 1938 The New England hurricane strikes Long Island and Rhode Island causing over 600 deaths. Ivan Tannehill publishes "Hurricanes, Their Nature and History". - 1939 Fr. Deppermann publishes "Some Characteristics of Philippine Typhoons" in which he presents a theoretical model of tropical cyclones. - 1940 Gordon Dunn demonstrates that most Atlantic hurricanes form from tropical easterly waves rather than baroclinic zones. - 1943 The Weather Bureau's Jacksonville hurricane warning center is moved to Miami where a joint center with the Navy and Air Corps is established. Major Joseph Duckworth flies his AT-6 trainer airplane into a hurricane over Texas proving the utility of this method of reconnaissance. - 1944 The Great Atlantic hurricane sweeps up the eastern seaboard and causes 390 casualties, mostly at sea. This is the first hurricane with scheduled aircraft reconnaissance and the first radar depiction of a hurricane eye and spiral rainbands. Major Harry Wexler and Lloyd Woods fly into Great Atlantic hurricane and find that updrafts are confined to a small area near the eye. Herbert Riehl and Major Robert Shafer find that large vertical wind shear is inimical to tropical cyclone formation and development. Halsey's Third Fleet runs into Typhoon Cobra in the Pacific with the loss of 3 destroyers and 790 men. - 1945 The Navy and Air Force begin identifying typhoons by women's names. Pacific fleet has another disasterous run in this time with Typhoon Viper. > Major hurricane strikes Miami and travels up Florida peninsula. Lt. Robert Atlas makes time lapse movie of Army radar scope as storm approaches Orlando. - 1946 The Navy and Air Force organize Hurricane Hunter squadrons in the Atlantic and Typhoon Trackers and Typhoon Chasers in the Pacific. - 1947 Navy planes seed an Atlantic hurricane as part of Project Cirrus. Bob Simpson 'piggybacks' a research mission onto an Air Force reconnaissance flight into a hurricane. This is the first detailed examination of the upper level circulation of the hurricane core. - 1947-1948 Four hurricanes over two years strike South Florida causing persistent flooding. This leads to the formation of the South Florida Water Management District. - 1948 Eric Palmen publishes a study showing that hurricanes require at least 80 F (26 C) water in order to form. Same study attempts to map out vertical structure of a hurricane from balloon soundings. - 1950 The Weather Bureau officially begins naming Atlantic hurricanes. Hurricane King strikes Miami and affects much of Florida. Hurricane Easy loops over Cedar Key, FL and keeps that island under hurricane force winds for 18 continuous hours. - 1951 Simpson flies 'piggyback' research mission into Typhoon Marge, measuring its warm core and record low pressure eye. - 1954 Tropical depression detected by camera on a Navy rocket. This demonstrates the utility of weather observations from space. Hurricanes Carol and Edna strike New England in succession. Simpson schedules last of the 'piggyback' research missions on an Air Force reconnaissance flight into Hurricane Edna, but is pre-empted by Edward R. Murrow and his CBS "See It Now' crew. Hurricane Hazel slams into the Carolinas and causes destruction all the way to Toronto. Grady Norton dies during the ongoing effort to forecast this storm. - 1955 Miami office of the US Weather Bureau is designated the primary hurricane center responsibile for forecasting and issuing warnings for hurricanes in the Atlantic. The US Weather Bureau founds the National Hurricane Research Project which begins research flights into hurricanes the next year. Three hurricanes make landfall in North Carolina this year including Hurricane Diane, the "Billion Dollar Hurricane". Joint Numerical Weather Prediction unit formed by US Weather Bureau, Navy, and Air Force to use computers to forecast the weather. Tannehill publishes "The Hurricane Hunters" about aircraft reconnaissance. - 1956 Riehl and William Haggard develop the first statistical hurricane track forecast techniques. Julian Adem describes the "beta effect" on the motion of hurricanes. - 1957 Hurricane Audrey causes over 500 deaths in Louisiana and Texas. - 1958 Marjory Stoneman Douglas publishes "Hurricane", a popular history about Atlantic hurricanes. Navy launches a radar-tracked 'Brango Ball' into eye of Hurricane Helene. Later, the NHRP and the Air Force release a balloon beacon into Helene's eye and succesfully tracks it remotely. First real-time hurricane track forecast made by computer. - 1959 The Joint Typhoon Warning Center is formed in Guam, combining the Navy and Air Force Pacific forecasting efforts. Dunn and researchers begin a five year program to study hurricane track forecasts and evaluated various objective techniques. - 1960 TIROS I, the first experimental weather satellite, is launched and promptly discovers an undetected tropical cyclone near New Zealand. Hurricane Donna roars through the Florida Keys and then up to North Carolina and Connecticut causing 50 deaths. Dunn and Banner Miller publish "Atlantic Hurricanes", the most up-to-date summary of hurricane science at the time. - 1961 The Research Flight Facility (RFF) is formed to manage and operate the Dept. of Commerce's hurricane research aircraft. RFF aircraft monitor Hurricane Carla from tropical depression stage all the way until its landfall in Texas. Dan Rather makes his mark covering the landfall of Hurricane Carla sometimes from the seawall at Galveston. CBS network executives take note. Navy and RFF planes seed Hurricane Esther. - 1962 Project STORMFURY is begun, a joint effort of the Weather Bureau, Navy, and National Science Foundation to test if seeding hurricanes can reduce their winds, - 1963 STORMFURY planes seed Hurricane Beulah with encouraging results. Victor Ooyama formulates his theory of tropical cyclone formation. Jule Charney and Arnt Eliasson formulate their CISK theory of tropical cyclone formation. - 1964 Miller and Peter Chase create NHC-64, the first in a long line of statistical-dynamical track forecast programs. It is first used operationally during 1964 hurricane season. - 1965 Hurricane Betsy crashes through the Bahamas, Florida Keys, and Louisiana killing 75 people. Department of Commerce combines US Weather Bureau and US Coast and Geodetic Survey to form Environmental Science Services Administration (ESSA). - 1967 Air Force joins Project STORMFURY. US Weather Bureau's Miami hurricane forecast office separated from regular weather forecast office and designated National Hurricane Center (NHC). - 1968 Charlie Neumann and John Hope create a hurricane database of Atlantic hurricanes later known as HURDAT. Harry Hawkins and Daryl Rubsam publish influential papers on the structure and energy budget of Hurricane Hilda. - 1969 Ooyama creates 2D hurricane computer simulation. Project BOMEX attempts to define the air-sea fluxes in the tropical Atlantic. Project STORMFURY seeds Hurricane Debbie on two days. It is the most successful implementation of the experiment to date. Hurricane Camille strikes Mississippi coast as only the second Category Five hurricane recorded in US history. She leaves 260 dead in her wake NHC director Simpson works with engineer Herb Saffir to modify the latter's hurricane damage scale to include wind speed regimes, creating the Saffir-Simpson scale. - 1970 National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is formed, unifying many government oceanographic facilities and ESSA, including US Weather Bureau, which is renamed National Weather Service. Fred Sanders' SANBAR, the first barotropic hurricane track computer forecast model, is put into operation. A tropical cyclone rushing up the Bay of Bengal causes over half of a million deaths in Bangladesh and India. - 1971 Richard Anthes creates the first 3D hurricane simulation. Navy Typhoon Trackers (VW-1) disestablished. Project STORMFURY seeds Hurricane Ginger. This is the last field experiment carried out by the Project. - 1972 Neumann develops CLIPER, a statistical hurricane track forecast scheme, used as a benchmark for other model's forecast skill scores. Roland Madden and Paul Julian describe a global scale pressure wave which seems to enhance tropical convection known as the Madden-Julian Oscillation (MJO). Hurricane Agnes floods areas along the eastern seaboard causing over 120 deaths. Bob Burpee publishes a paper explaining the origin and structure of African easterly waves. - 1974 The Navy disbands its Hurricane Hunter squadrons (VW-4). The GATE experiment in the east Atlantic measures tropical waves as they come off the African coast. Cyclone Tracy devastates Darwin, Australia. - 1975 Vern Dvorak proposes a scheme to estimate tropical cyclone strength from satellite pictures. - 1977 A tropical cyclone in India kills over 10,000. - 1979 Neumann and Brian Jarvinen develop SHIFOR, a statistical scheme to forecast hurricane intensity, used as a benchmark for intensity forecast skill scores. The First Global GARP Experiment attempts to delineate a world-wide profile of the the Earth atmosphere during two intense observation periods in the winter and summer. Hurricane David chews a path of destruction through eastern Caribbean islands and the Bahamas before brushing up U.S. East Coast. Hurricane Frederic intensifies over the Gulf of Mexico before impacting the U.S. Gulf coast. - 1980 Hurricane Allen roars through the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico as a Category Five hurricane. - 1982 The first Synoptic Flow experiment is flown around Hurricane Debby to help define the large scale atmospheric winds that steer the storm using dropsondes. Anthes publishes "Tropical Cyclones, Their Evolution, Structure, and Effects". Hugh Willoughby, Jean Clos, and Mohamed Shoreibah publish a paper on hurricane eyewall cycles. - 1983 Project STORMFURY is officially ended. Hurricane Alicia forms from an old frontal boundary in the Gulf of Mexico and hits Galveston and Houston. - 1984 William Gray and his Colorado State team issue the first hurricane seasonal forecast. - 1985 Willoughby, Bob Black, Stan Rosenthal, and Dave Jorgensen write an assessment of Project STORMFURY which documents several flaws in the assumptions in planning the experiments that call the results into question. Hurricane Gloria roars up the eastern seaboard threatening New York City, but eventually makes landfall on Long Island. - 1987 The Air Force disbands its Pacific Typhoon Chasers squadrons. - 1988 Hurricane Gilbert has the lowest central pressure to date (888 mb) ever estimated for an Atlantic hurricane just before striking the Yucatan peninsula. - 1989 Hurricane Hugo makes a direct hit on Charleston, SC and causes over 20 casualties. BAM, the Beta and Advection Model, and VICBAR, a nested barotropic hurricane track forecast model become operational. - 1990 Mark DeMaria and John Kaplan create SHIPS a statistical hurricane intensity forecast scheme. Roger Pielke Sr. publishes "The Hurricane". TCM-90 Experiment attempts to define factors contributing to typhoon motion such as synoptic winds and the beta effect. - 1991 TEXMex is an MIT/NOAA joint project carried out in the eastern Pacific to examine the genesis of tropical cyclones. The Air Force transfers its Hurricane Hunters to the Air Force Reserves. - 1992 Hurricane Andrew levels parts of south Florida and causes over $26 billion in damages there, in the Bahamas, and Louisiana. NCEP's Aviation model becomes operational. Super Typhoon Omar hits Guam causing $457 million in damage. TCM-92 Experiment combines satellite and aircraft observations to better define tropical cyclogenesis. Hurricane Iniki hits Kauai in Hawai'i as a Category 4 storm. - 1995 In one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons in decades, Hurricane Opal rapidly intensifies as it approaches the Florida panhandle, only to weaken just before landfall. It still causes $3 billion in damage. Rapid scan high-resolution satellite loops are made of Hurricane Luis, showing eye structure and motion. The GFDL model becomes operational. It provides both track and intensity forecasts. - 1996 Both the NOGAPS and UKMET track forecast models become available to NHC. Mark Powell and Sam Houston publish detailed analyses of Hurricane Andrew. - 1997 High resolution dropsondes are released in the eyewall of Hurricane Guillermo in the eastern Pacific. These reveal wind structure that surprise scientists. NOAA's GIV high altitude jet becomes operational, allowing examination of the steering flow around hurricanes from a greater height. Super Typhoon Paka ravages Guam causing $500 million in damage. - 1998 Hurricane Mitch kills more than 12,000 people in Honduras and Nicaragua. NASA's Convecion and Moisture EXperiment 3 (CAMEX-3) is an experiment run in conjunction with NOAA's Hurricane Field Program to collects detailed data sets on Hurricanes Bonnie, Danielle, and Georges. - 1999 Hurricane Floyd causes a massive evacuation from coastal zones from northern Florida to the Carolinas. It comes ashore in North Carolina and results in nearly 80 dead and $4.5 billion in damages. - 2001 CAMEX-4, a NASA experiment run in conjunction with NOAA's Hurricane Field Program collects detailed data sets on Hurricanes Erin, Gabrielle, and Humberto and Tropical Storm Chantal. Stan Goldenberg, Chris Landsea, Alberto Mestas-Nuñez and Gray publish a major paper in Science noting decadal swings in Atlantic hurricane activity. - 2003 Hurricane Isabel leaves a path of damage from North Carolina to Pennsylvania costing $3 billion and 16 deaths. Mike Black, Krystal Valde, and others publish a paper on hurricane eyewall wind profiles based on GPS dropsondes. Powell, Peter Vickery, and Timothy Reinhold publish a paper on drag coefficients in hurricane force winds. - 2004 Jason Dunion and Chris Velden demonstrate the delimiting effect the Saharan Air Layer has on tropical cyclone development. Tropical Storm Bonnie and Hurricane Charley hit Florida within 24 hours of each other. It's True. Four hurricanes, Charley, Frances, Ivan, and Jeanne, strike Florida in one year, setting a new record. After Hurricane Ivan's landfall in the Florida panhandle, its remanents moved over the Atlantic, looped back across Florida into the Gulf of Mexico, reformed into a Tropical Storm, making landfall in Louisiana. - 2005 In one of the busiest Atlantic hurricane seasons on record, 28 named storms form, 15 of them hurricanes, seven of which are major, and four reach Category Five status. For the first time the alternate Greek alphabet scheme for naming storms has to be employed. NASA's Tropical Cloud Systems and Processes Mission is set to investigate eastern Pacific disturbances, but is diverted to examining the activity in the Caribbean and Gulf of Mexico. Hurricane Dennis becomes the earliest major hurricane to form in the Atlantic. Project IFEX examines transmitting detailed information in the hurricane inner core in real-time to National Center for Enivronmental Prediction for inclusion in intensity models. Hurricane Katrina submerges the Mississippi/Alabama Gulf coast under a 27 foot storm surge killing 240 people. When New Orlean's levees fail, it causes over 1500 additional deaths and $81 billion in damages. Hurricane Rita devastates the Texas coast, causing over one hundred casulties. Hurricane Wilma's central pressure reaches 882 millibars, the lowest recorded value to date in an Atlantic hurricane. An Aerosonde is flown into Tropical Storm Ophelia, the first such unmanned vehicle penetration of a tropical cyclone. - 2006 African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (AMMA) experiment examines the wind regimes over western Africa and their role in generating disturbances over the Atlantic. The NASA African Monsoon Multidisciplinary Analyses (NAMMA) experiment similarly seeks to investigate these disturbances off the African coast using aircraft and the CALIPSO satellite. These systems were then handed off to NOAA IFEX scientists over the western Atlantic. - 2007 Hurricane Dean hits northern Belize as a Catagory Five storm. Hurricane Felix repidly intensifies in the Caribbean and smashes into northern Nicaragua at Category Five strength. This was the first time on record that two Category Five hurricanes made landfall during the same Atlantic hurricane season. Humberto reaches hurricane strength just before making landfall in northern Texas and only eleven hours after being named a tropical storm. An Aerosonde is flown into hurricane force winds for the first time into Noel off the Carolinas. - 2008 Hurricane Ike brings destruction to Cuba making landfall on both the eastern and western ends of the island. It crosses the Gulf of Mexico and then hits Galveston and scours the Bolivar peninsula, causing over 100 deaths. Hurricane Paloma's rapid intensification is recorded by a series of NOAA scientific flights before its landfall in Cuba. - 2009 One of the quietest Atlantic hurricane season is some time is matched by minimal typhoon activity in the western Pacific. - 2010 NOAA adds 12 hours to its watch/warning lead time, issuing watches 48 hours before landfall and warnings 36 hours ahead of time. Removes referneces to storm surge height from Saffir-Simpson Scale. NASA runs its Genesis and Rapid Intesification Program(GRIP) experiment in conjunction with NOAA's IFEX field program along with a National Science Foundation funded Pre-Depression Investigation of Cloud-Systems in the Tropics (PREDICT). Using a fleet of aircraft platforms the joint effort documents Hurricane Earl from formation through Rapid Intensification to decay. - 2011 Hurricane Irene makes landfall at New York City as a tropical storm, yet causes over $16 billion damage mostly due to inland flooding throughout New England. - 2012 Hurricane Sandy ravages eastern Cuba and eventually strikes the Jersey shore as a hybrid system, causing more than $75 billion in damage, making it the second costliest Atlantic storm on record. - 2013 Despite pre-season forecasts for an active hurricane season this year sees the fewest Atlantic hurricanes since 1982. References: Fitzpatrick, Patrick "Natural Disasers : Hurricanes" 1999 ABC-CLIO Publishers, Santa Barbara, CA Ludlum, David "Early American Hurricanes 1492-1870" 1963 Lancaster Press, Lancaster, PA Simpson, Robert ed. "Hurricane ! Coping with Disaster" 2003 American Geophysical Union, Washington, DC Last updated May 5, 2014