Tornado

Time and time again records have been shattered. Global warming can't be an explanation for the upsurge we are seeing today. Cyclone Nargis had all the makings of a perfect storm. Packing winds upwards of 120 mph, the cyclone became one of Asia's deadliest storms by suddenly going from Category 1 to Category 3 and hitting land at one of the lowest points in Myanmar. The storms seem to be intelligently guided to inflict maxim damage. If they were random, the law of averages would cause most to strike uninhabited areas or follow paths that lead to the open ocean. Even seasoned weathermen can see how unusual these storms have been. "When we saw the storm track of Cyclone Nargis, I said, 'Uh oh, this is not going to be good,'" said Mark Lander, a meteorology professor at the University of Guam. "It would create a big storm surge. It was like Katrina going into New Orleans." To give you folks a perspective of the intensity and frequency of tropical systems, I've compiled a list of storms that stand out in the headlines: 2004 - Japan was hit by a record number of typhoons. 2004 - Florida was hit by a record number of hurricanes. 2004 - Cyclone Catarina - 1st South Atlantic cyclone to reach a hurricane strength 2005 - Katrina was the most costly hurricane in history. 2005 - Rita was the most powerful Atlantic storm by barometric pressure. 2005 - Atlantic hurricane watchers record 27 storms, the most ever in a season. 2006 - Larry was the most powerful tropical system to hit ...