HOT AIR

 JUNE FIRST  -  THE BEGINNING OF HURRICANE SEASON

The people who spend their lives studying hurricanes tell me that there has been no increase in the number of hurricanes over the years but the intensity of the storms has increased.  As you probably know, I'm a sucker for lists.  Lists of almost any kind.  I found one put out by our government that lists the most intense hurricanes on record.  

These are storms ranked by the measurement of their pressure.  The lower the pressure, the worse the storm.  Usually, but not always, wind speed and storm surge follow that low pressure measurement.  There are other ways to rank storms:  by the wind speed, by the storm surge, by the speed of movement, by that cost of damages to property and by the loss of life. This ranking is based on the lowest pressure recorded in the storm. It includes the area most effected.  Worst is first!

1.  Un-named hit the Florida Keys 1935

2.  Camille hit MS, LA, VA 1965

3.  Michael hit Florida  2018

4.  Katrina hit LA  2005

5.  Andrew hit FL, LA  1992

6.  Un-named hit Indianola, TX  1884

7.  Un-named hit the Florida Keys  1919

8.  Un-named hit Florida Lake Okeechobee  1928

9.  Donna hit Florida  1960

10. Un-named hit New Orleans, Louisiana  1915

10. Carla hit TX 1961

10. Ian hit southwest FL 2022

We didn't start naming hurricanes formally until 1950.  About half of the most severe occurred before that date.  

p.s.  Indianola, TX is now a ghost town.