Date added: Monday September 28,
2006: 12pm EST
Isaac is 5th Tropical Storm of the
Year; On Familiar Course. New System Closer to US
Also: Remembering
"Isaac's Storm"
By HurricaneNow.com
Chief Correspondent Jeff Flock
The Storms Keep Coming...And Going
It's tough to say this hasn't been
an active hurricane season. We've had four hurricanes (two
Cat 3's, two Cat 1's) and now have another tropical storm.
But like the last three storms before it, TS Isaac is on
a course that would take it in the direction of Bermuda
before being driven north and east and to the open Atlantic.
An active season doesn't necessarily mean there will be
any storms that threaten the US. And as of this writing,
nothing of any significance has. That isn't expected to
change with TD 9. However...
Tropical Wave Heads to St. Maarten,
Puerto Rico
It's small now, but shows enough
potential for the National Hurricane Center to call it "Invest
97L. This will bring rain and wind to the Caribbean in the
short term and has some potential to continue on toward
the US. More likely another curve to sea before it gets
close though wherever it goes it could turn into TD 10 or
even a tropical storm before it's done. Joyce follows Isaac
on the name list this year, btw. And speaking of Isaac...
Isaac Will
Be No "Isaac's Storm"
I had been waiting with some anticipation
for the "I" storm this year. It strikes me that
Isaac (like Florence) makes a pretty good hurricane name.
It also brings to mind "Isaac's Storm", Erik Larson's
wonderfully written account of the 1900 Galveston hurricane.
I sometimes think of that storm as "Isaac" though
it was long before hurricanes began receiving names. Despite
the horror of Katrina, btw, Galveston 1900 remains by far
the most deadly hurricane in US history with at least 6000
and probably 8000+ dead. Though the toll from Katrina is
still being sorted out, it appears it will fall well short
of 2000. 1836 was the last credible figure I saw which would
place it 3rd on the all-time deadliest US list. The 1928
Lake Okeechobee hurricane in Florida killed well over 2000.
The Real Hurricane Isaac...
There was a hurricane Isaac of
some note, though like most of the storms this season it
did not make US landfall. Isaac was the second strongest
hurricane of the Atlantic season in 2000. It got to Cat
4 strength (140mph winds) but took a track much like this
Isaac (if indeed it makes TS strength) is forecast to travel...another
curver. The storm was powerful enough, despite staying well
off shore, to have capsized a boat off Long Island killing
one person. That was not enough notability to get the name
retired (storm names are retired after they do significant
damage) hence we still have Isaac on the list. If we get
Isaac out of TD 9, it doesn't figure to be notorious enough
for retirement either.
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