Music Music Narrator: 27 storms are Arlene to Zeta. Lets exam what made conditions so favorable for Atlantic storm formation in 2005. We begin with the ocean; these are sea surface temperatures for the 2005 hurricane season, changing through time as the calendar advances. Warm water powers hurricanes, orange and yellow areas, shows zones with water warmer than 82 degrees; the threshold favorable for hurricane development. Music Lets start the season again, this time adding clouds back into the picture. Atlantic-based hurricanes typically form between June and November. Hurricanes often start as atmospheric disturbances of the coast of West Africa. Once out into the warm summer waters of the Mid-Atlantic, some ripples begin to rotate and feeding of off warm water strengthen into hurricanes. Hurricanes require warm water to heat air above the ocean causing a drop in air pressure. Lower air pressures sucks more water vapor into the storm, causing storms to strengthen. As hurricanes pass over warm water they leave trails of relatively cooler water so called, cold water trails. Numbers displayed over storms tracks indicate hurricane category changes. Music Music Music Strong shearing winds in the troposphere can disrupt this process weakening young storms, but measurements indicate that there was very little shearing wind activity in 2005 to impede storm formation. Hurricanes are rare phenomena; only about 80 or 90 appear worldwide every year. Music Music Storms stalked the Atlantic Ocean and Easter Seaboard from June until early winter in 2005 and the record books are groaning under the strain of such a busy year. Consider this list of superlatives. An average year produces roughly 10 storms, 27 named storms formed in 2005. An average year produces 6 hurricanes, 15 formed in 2005. An average year produces two major hurricanes. Seven formed in 2005 on average one category 5 hurricane forms every three years. In 2005 there were three Katrina, Rita, and Wilma. Wilma was the most intense Atlantic hurricane ever recorded, Katrina fourth, Rita sixth. But Katrina was the most destructive hurricane ever to hit the United States. The total losses from storms in 2005 include more than 1,200 lives and potentially more than 100 billion dollars. Music Music Music This visualization shows some of the actual data that NASA and NOAA satellites measured this season. Data used to predict the paths and intensities of hurricanes. Satellite data play a vital role in helping us understand the land, ocean, and atmosphere systems that have such dramatic effects on our lives. Music