On Fri, 10 Sep 2004 22:21:55 +0100, "Keith (Southend)"
wrote:

Can't beleive what I just saw/heard on the BBC news. Basically
suggesting that the increased hurricane activity this year is due to
warmer seas, hinting that global warming is behind this, showing a
graph of the steady increase in sea temperatures. Also saying more
hurricane are making landfall than ever before, maybe more notiveable
because people have moved into hurricane locations. No mention of
other factors like El Nino, shear (sorry Joe Public use them in the
garden!) etc. I seem to remember the NHC (National Hurricane Centre)
forecasted a more active season for this year last spring. Why does
the media solve the case with just one shread of evidence in a far
more complex subject. Bah. Perhaps the Met Office should refuse to
speak to the media g

Well we seem to have a divergence here between the BBC 1 news
(presumably what you saw at 10pm) and what News 24 have been running
all evening, including the midnight bulletin. Whilst there were some
misleading comments (e.g. "when the sea temperature rises above
[26.5C] the warm air triggers a cyclone", they may have been right in
saying that sea temperatures in that area have risen over the last 4
years - albeit a ridiculously short period from which to draw any
conclusions. Here we go, I thought.

But I was placated when I heard this statement:"only now are
scientists starting to see patterns - not because of global warming
but because of natural changes instead (or in state)". They then ran
an interview with a scientist from Hadley Centre, who alluded to the
natural changes in sea temperature and currents in cycles lasting
several decades. That gets them off the hook, for me!

--
Dave