Alpha... Alpha???

We interrupt the regularly scheduled entries to this journal to bring up a disturbing fact according to this AOL News story:

MIAMI (Oct. 22) - Tropical Storm Alpha formed Saturday in the Caribbean, setting the record for the most named storms in an Atlantic hurricane season and marking the first time forecasters had to turn to the Greek alphabet for names.

The previous record of 21 named storms had stood since 1933. Alpha was the 22nd to reach tropical storm strength this year, and the season doesn't end until Nov. 30.

Since 1995, the Atlantic has been in a period of higher hurricane activity, a cycle expected to last at least another 10 years.

Wilma was the last on the list of 21 storm names for 2005; the letters q, u, x, y and z are skipped. The Greek alphabet provides a continuation of that list but had never been used in six decades of regularly naming Atlantic storms.

We have now had to start naming new storms after letters of the Greek alphabet!

O. K., obviously they thought it was a possibility that it would happen, or they wouldn't have had a contingency plan in place.... But for Cripes Sake!! Enough already! <LOL>

According to the article that I took the above excerpts from, we are seeing weather conditions much like we had in the 50's and 60's. This is a normal cycle, and this too shall pass! <g> To read the complete article, and see why we are having our current weather cycle, click here. Another interesting link, given to us earlier this week by the Blogfather over at By The Way, is from NASA and gives us a look at all of the storms from the 2005 season --in 2 minutes-- it doesn't include Storm Alpha yet, so soon it will take longer <sigh>. Still, click here, it is cool to look at!

Although hurricane Wilma will probably be making landfall to the south of us, today is a day of making sure everything is ready for her coming. We will possibly be seeing tropical storm force winds, and this means that any of the critters that are outside need to be given some thought. Today at the zoo, G and his fellow keepers will be deciding who needs to go where overnight, and they will watch the radars/weather reports closely to be sure their charges are safe. I will be moving Boo into his stall for protection. I normally prefer my horses to be outside, but Boo's pasture has the possibility of parts of the three different barns that surround his pasture flying thru the air. He dislikes being kept in, so I will probably do my normal Sunday routine, then return later tonight around 8 or 9 and move him inside for the rest of the night and until I am sure Wilma has passed.

We still have 38 days left in this hurricane season.... Beta anyone???

Couldn't leave you without a cute animal picture <g>This was taken last week at the zoo. He looks like he's been thru a hurricaine!