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Hurricane Frenzy Fades From Memory

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The Tampa Tribune

Published: November 26, 2007

Hurricane season ends Friday, and barring any unusual events, it was a quiet one for Florida: A strong area of high pressure kept the two most ferocious storms of 2007 pinned well to the south.

But it was far from a quiet season across the Atlantic. There were 14 named storms, four more than in an average year, and for the first time, as far as scientists know, two Category 5 storms made landfall in one season.

Still, many of the storms that formed, especially the eight in September, turned out to be weak. Some may not even have rated a name a generation ago. One reason: "Shears," the term for winds blowing in different directions at different heights, tore storms apart.

The reason winds in the upper atmosphere were strong at a time of year they are normally weak is a mystery. "We may never know the answer to that," said Chris Landsea, science officer at the National Hurricane Center.

One thing experts do know: With two quiet seasons behind us, Floridians are beginning to forget what we once knew about the need for preparedness.

DETAILS, Metro, Page 1

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