Good news... Meteorologists were WRONG!
by Wayne Gentry, Meteorologist

Congratulations Southeastern US! Your weathermen were wrong. The fearsome Hurricane season of 2006 is fading into history branded as a lamb...not a lion. This leaves many skeptical of either the NHC's ability to forecast, or motives for being so outspoken.

The United States and the Atlantic have been warmer than average this year. Global warming and the Multi Decadal oscillation both were cited as reasons we'd see more, and stronger storms than usual. So what happened to suppress the savage beasts? What DID we miss?

Nothing. You can't miss what isn't there...and there was no suggestion of strong wind shear across the Tropical Atlantic this year. OK, sorry... Wind Shear comes in two flavors: speed (wind speed changes with height, and directional (wind direction changes with height). Shear rips apart the rising column of hot air that eventually would become the "eye" of a well developed hurricane...the storm remains an adolescent, never to mature. 2006 could be called the year of the adolescents.

Researchers are already looking at how we can better foresee these conditions...none of us want to see that headline again. I'll watch the sky, you keep watching The Tourist Network.

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