On Fri, 14 Oct 2005 01:04:37 -0700, "Matt Barrow"
wrote:

Hurricane intensities are cyclical, and I don't buy the BS that they have
anything to do with "Global Warming", but more than half (?) of our refining
capacity is in "hurricane alley". It hasn't been a disaster yet, but why
tempt "fate"?

It's true that the number of hurricanes per year appears to vary as a
result of a natural cycle, the reasons for which are not well
understood at this point. There have been years in the past when many
hurricanes developed. However, the intensity of hurricanes is purely
the result of the fuel that feeds them: The warmth of the ocean under
which they develop and travel. Upper level atmospheric pressure also
plays a part, but the biggest factor is the warmth of the ocean. The
warmer the ocean under which the hurricane spawns, the better the
chance it will develop into a strong storm. Katrina is a perfect
example, it reduced in intensity during it's passage over the Florida
penninsula, and then intensified into a category 5 hurricane once it
moved onto the gulf of Mexico where the waters were very warm.

More storms per year are occuring in the last few years and the warmer
oceans are creating storms of high intensity.

That the oceans are warmer than they've ever been in recorded history
is not at question, you only have to look at the temperatures over the
last 100 years or so to see that they've been going up.

Another data point is the melting of most glaciers the world over.
They are melting because the average temperature has increased in the
last several decades. Still another data point is the ocean level is
rising.

That the world is warming is not in question, the numbers are obvious.
What is causing it to warm is still in debate (especially by the Bush
White House), but a great number of scientists feel that man and the
greenhouse gasses he produces is likely the root cause.

Corky Scott