ABSTRACT
The power of hurricanes has been amply demonstrated in recent years, as major storms have pounded Caribbean island nations and the US mainland. Hurricane Andrew, which struck south Florida on 24 August 1992, ranks as the most costly storm disaster in US history, with long-term estimates of losses exceeding $30 billion. Estimates of losses if Miami, just 30 km north, had been struck are in the range of $40-60 billion. A continuation of the same track would have put New Orleans under 5 to 6 m of water. The meteorological conditions that would create the difference in the two courses of movement (the actual course and a direct hit on Miami) are essentially undetectable with present observing systems (Sheets, 1994). In a careful analysis, Pielke and Landsea (1998) show that a repeat of the 1926 hurricane impacting S.E.florida and Alabama would result in losses exceeding $70 billion (1995 $).
