Za razliku od proslogodisnje neuobicajeno zivahne uraganske sezone, ove godine se nista ozbiljno jos nije dogodilo.
Na jucerasnji dan je bilo godinu dana otkad je Katrina prosla preko Floride, a 29-tog ce biti godina dana od naleta na New Orleans.
Prigodno se po TV stanicama prikazuju raznorazni dokumentarci i analize (npr. Spike Lee "When the Levees Broke: A Requiem in Four Acts" i serijali/analize na Discovery i History Channelu).
Kako sad stvari stoje, 'obiljezavanju godisnjice' bi se lako mogao pridruziti i Senor Ernesto (nije Che Guevara!), koji se trenutno nalazi na kracem boravku u Hurricane Alley gdje skuplja snagu za proboj u Meksicki zaljev gdje ga ocekuju vise temperature mora koje ce mu vjerovatno dati dodatnu snagu i pravo da se nazove uraganom (jos uvijek je samo Tropical Storm).
Trenutne prognoze/projekcije su da ce negdje iduceg cetvrtka ujutro biti jacine 3 i da ce se nalaziti u centru Meksickog zaljeva, s velikim izgledima za 'prizemljenje' u podrucjima naftnih platformi i/ili rafinerija.
Tropical Storm Ernesto could reach hurricane status by Monday, churning out winds of 74 mph or higher as it nears western Cuba, the National Hurricane Center predicted.
A five-day forecast has Ernesto crossing western Cuba and entering the Gulf of Mexico by Tuesday, but long-range predictions aren't always reliable because hurricanes can change course quickly.
If Ernesto reaches hurricane strength, it would be the first hurricane so far this season. By this time last year, five hurricanes and 11 named storms had already formed -- and Hurricane Katrina was just days away from devastating New Orleans and the Gulf Coast on August 29.
For a couple days now we have been talking up Ernesto and warning that there was a significant chance that this could be the new big story. After looking at the situation today, I am convinced that things could be very bad indeed. I always try not incite undue worry, but Ernesto could get ugly. Those of you in the Gulf Coast need to re-examine your hurricane plans, especially is you live in the north Gulf from Houston to Tallahassee. A very deep layer of warm water in the northern Gulf could allow for Ernesto to become a very powerful hurricane if it reaches the area.
Naravno, uvijek je moguc i drugaciji put, ovisno o tome na kom ce mjestu Senor Ernesto uci u Meksicki Zaljev i s kojom kategorijom, ali za par dolara visu cijenu nafte pocetkom tjedna mislim da ce biti dovoljno.
A onda ce se vec neki drugi 'HurrIran' naci kao good choice...