Mon, 05 Jul 2010 4:32p.m.
By Josh Heslop
BP’s oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico has now reached Day 75. It’s also Independence Day and this botch up has now become the biggest environmental disaster in US history. But there’s one threat waiting in the wings that’s guaranteed to make this situation much worse. Hurricanes are set to surge in the Atlantic and all signs are pointing to an active 2010.
Hurricane Alex developed and moved over the gulf last week. He’s the leader of what’s expected to be a long list of storms in the area. Although hurricane season is officially between June and November every year, it’s rare to get one as early as Alex. It’s the strongest June hurricane since Alma in 1966 and the first to strike in June for fifteen years. Alex grew to a Category 2 storm by the time it slammed into the Texas-Mexico coast.
Massive hurricanes feed off the heat of the ocean and the tropical Atlantic waters are only getting warmer. Hurricanes usually get a fuel injection around September, when sea surface temperatures reach their highest. On top of that, the Caribbean has only just switched from El Nino to La Nina. Records show La Nina produces more storm activity, which can’t be good for the oil clean up.
Luckily Alex’s path avoided a direct hit on the spill. In saying that, rough seas forced oil skimming boats to stay in port as churning waters pushed more oil onto surrounding coastlines. Even though it could’ve been much worse, it shows any storm will be big environmental threat as long as there’s a mass of oil to be disturbed. The only hope is that BP can stem the oil flow before the next one hits.
Two more storms are already trying to develop in the Gulf of Mexico. They aren’t strong enough to be named yet, but Bonnie and Colin are next on the list should they get to that stage. Looking at the official list of hurricane names for 2010, you can’t help but think it’s a roll call of badly behaved children. Which one will cause the most destruction?
Katrina reminded us about the powerful nature of hurricanes. Imagine if a giant oil slick got in her way too.
ATLANTIC HURRICANES – CLASS OF 2010
Alex
Bonnie
Colin
Danielle
Earl
Fiona
Gaston
Hermine
Igor
Julia
Karl
Lisa
Matthew
Nicole
Otto
Paula
Richard
Shary
Tomas
Virginie
Walter