The Triangle

Issue date: 10/21/05 Section: Sci-Tech

Media Credit: CNN

The 2005 hurricane season can be easily likened to the best armies in history-it has plenty of power, large numbers and has wreaked havoc on humans all across the Atlantic basin.

Hurricane Wilma, the season's 21st named storm, quickly strengthened into the most powerful hurricane ever on record. At 11 a.m. Wednesday, it had a low pressure center at 26.04 inches or 882 millibars, the lowest ever observed in a hurricane since data began being recorded. Since, it has fallen from a Category 5 storm to a Category 4, but is projected to strengthen once it enters the Gulf of Mexico. Wilma is the 12th hurricane of the season, a statistic that had not occurred since 1969.

Wilma shocked forecasters by strengthening from almost nothing to the most powerful storm ever seen overnight. On Oct. 18, it had just become a hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 80 miles per hour. By early Oct. 19 it was a very powerful Category 5 storm with winds of over 175 miles per hour.

As of the morning of Oct. 20, Wilma was headed for the Yucatan, forcing thousands of tourists to leave Cancun and other Caribbean beach resorts. Tourists were also being urged to leave the Florida Keys as Wilma has been projected to target that area after it turns northeast.

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration indicates Wilma will most likely hit Florida as a Category 2 or 3 storm sometime Oct. 23. Residents of the Keys are to be evacuated beginning on Oct. 21. When it hits, the hurricane could potentially project tropical storm-force winds 260 miles out from its center.

While oil refineries and facilities hit by Katrina and Rita will most likely not be adversely affected by Wilma, Florida may experience economic damage in the citrus fruit industry.

The storm has forced MTV to postpone its MTV Latin America Music Awards in Mexico and the NFL has announced the Miami Dolphins-Kansas City Chiefs game will be played in Miami on the evening of Oct. 21 at 7 p.m. instead of afternoon of Oct. 23, when it was scheduled, when the storm will most likely be bombarding the city.

The Bush administration has indicated that they are working diligently with local officials to prepare for the storm and the federal response to the storm will be quick if required.

The hurricane season lasts until Nov. 30 and with about six weeks remaining, and no more names available (Wilma was the last for 2005) many are wondering what will happen if another storm develops.

During World War II, military forecasters began naming hurricanes using women's names and in 1950 the World Meteorological Organization (a United Nations agency) instituted an alphabetical naming system. In 1953 the organization changed the policy to include a rotating list of women's names with the stipulation that any significant storms would have their name retired from the list and a new name would be chosen. In 1979 the WMO updated the lists to include the names of men.

There are six lists that are rotated and contain 21 names each. The letters q, u, x, y and z are not represented. If the list for a year is depleted, the WMO begins using the letters of the Greek alphabet beginning with Alpha. This has never had to be done since the system was instituted. According to the naming policy, if a Greek-letter hurricane becomes a major storm, that letter will need to be retired causing some confusion as to what it will be replaced with.

While some attribute the busy hurricane season to global warming, others believe we've entered a period of intensified activity which could last for up to 20 years.

Media Credit: AccuWeather

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